The White House Press Corps

Reporters tasked with covering the president and White House are collectively known as the White House Press Corps. These journalists, correspondents, and photographers come from a variety of news organizations and media outlets. Many come to the White House every day, where they attend daily briefings, have a space to work, or broadcast breaking news reports from outside cameras on the north grounds of the White House (known as “Pebble Beach”).

The press pool refers to those who travel with the president to cover various events, trips, and engagements happening outside of Washington, D.C. Poolers share the information learned while travelling with their media colleagues and take turns travelling with the president.

Even though the internet and social media allows for the White House to communicate directly with the American people, media organizations still serve as an important link between the administration and the public. Reporters, journalists, and photographers covering the White House keep the American people up to date on what the president is doing as well as what his administration is working on and advocating for.

The professional relationship between the press secretary and the press corps is of the utmost importance. It is mutually beneficial – the White House has messages it wants to get out to the American people and reporters have assignments to complete and deadlines to meet.

There is a near constant stream of information released from the press office throughout the day. These releases can contain:

official administration responses
background information
fact sheets on policy initiatives
the president’s schedule
transcripts
presidential appointments and nominations
information on events and participants

The press secretary will often highlight big announcements or priority items during the daily press briefing or during a press gaggle. The televised daily briefings take place in the James Brady Briefing Room, at which time the press secretary will open with remarks and turn it over to members of the press corps for questions. The press office will sometimes invite other administration officials or outside experts to speak to a specific policy issue or event. A press gaggle is an informal or impromptu briefing that can occur with reporters in the White House, or “on the go” as the president is travelling.