Trump mulls converting White House press room back into its original pool

Donald Trump is again considering converting the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room into the swimming pool that Franklin D. Roosevelt installed in 1939 for therapeutic use. He first raised the notion with former press secretary Karoline Leavitt, asking her to remove journalists from the space before she left her post in August. Since then, Trump has reiterated the plan to multiple aides and posted about a potential renovation on Truth Social as recently as last month.

The briefing room, which replaced the pool during Richard Nixon’s administration, has become a symbolic venue for White House communication. Restoring the pool would likely be seen as a further blow to press access, especially as Trump faces lawsuits from one outlet, MS Now and one outlet after banning them for alleged “fake news.” A federal judge has already lifted the ban, allowing the outlets back onto the grounds. The idea reflects Trump’s strained relationship with the media and his shrinking advisory circle.