Trump Says He May Move White House Press Corps but Rejects Pool Plan

Trump denied planning to remove the White House briefing room to restore its covered swimming pool, while saying he may relocate reporters to what he called a less obnoxious location.

President Donald Trump said on Saturday, October 24, 2026, that he may relocate the White House press corps, while denying a report that he planned to remove the briefing room and restore the swimming pool beneath it. His statement left open the possibility of a move but announced no decision, destination or timetable.

In a Truth Social post quoted by Reuters and Mediaite, Trump called the report that he would remove the press room and bring back the pool “Fake News.” He said the pool would never return and that he had never considered doing so. In the same post, however, he wrote that he “may move” reporters to what he described as a “less obnoxious location.”

What Trump confirmed—and what he denied

The distinction is important. Trump rejected the pool-restoration rationale, not the broader possibility that journalists could be moved from their current workspace. His use of “may” means the relocation remains a proposal rather than an adopted White House policy. The administration has not released architectural plans, identified an alternative room or explained whether reporters would retain the same proximity to the West Wing.

USA Today also reported Trump’s statement on Saturday. Mediaite reproduced the full post and connected it to a New York Times report published earlier in the week. That report said Trump had repeatedly discussed moving journalists from the current briefing room, which occupies space built over a former indoor pool.

Why the room matters

The James S. Brady Press Briefing Room is the main venue for televised White House briefings and many presidential appearances. Reporters also work in nearby spaces inside the West Wing complex. A relocation could be mostly logistical, or it could affect journalists’ access to officials and the daily flow of information, depending on where the press corps is placed and what access rules accompany the move.

Trump did not address those operational questions in his post. He also did not say whether the idea would involve only the briefing room, the reporters’ workspaces or the broader press area. No formal relocation order has been announced. Until the White House supplies details, claims about the practical consequences would be speculative.

A continuing dispute over media access

The remarks come amid recurring conflict between the Trump administration and news organizations over access, credentials and coverage. Those earlier disputes provide context for why a possible move is drawing attention, but they do not establish that Saturday’s statement will lead to a relocation.

The current room’s history predates this dispute. An indoor pool was installed for President Franklin D. Roosevelt. During Richard Nixon’s presidency, the pool was covered to create space for press facilities. The room was later named for James Brady, Ronald Reagan’s press secretary, who was gravely wounded in the 1981 assassination attempt on Reagan.

For now, the confirmed development is limited but consequential for White House coverage: Trump has publicly preserved the option of moving the press corps while explicitly ruling out restoration of the pool. Any actual change would require a further White House announcement and details about location, timing, workspace, briefing logistics and reporters’ continuing access to senior officials.

Sources and image credit

What Trump confirmed—and what he denied

Why the room matters

A continuing dispute over media access