White House Establishes Self-Governing Media Empire under Trump's Leadership

Since the resumption of Trump's presidency, his team has enthusiastically featured right-wing "new media" in an escalating battle against traditional press.

Now, the White House is stepping up its game by constructing its own government-controlled media operation, catering to the president's devoted fanbase.

Recently, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt conducted three private briefings, exclusively for hand-picked partisan outlets. These "new media" sessions exist in a separate realm, accessible only through a special auditorium situated across the street that reporters cannot easily reach[4].

During one of these sessions on April 30, Leavitt responded enthusiastically to a question from right-wing activist Jack Posobiec, remarking, "I absolutely agree with the premise of your question -- which I usually don't when I take questions at a podium"[1][2]. Additionally, Dom Lucre, a proponent of the QAnon conspiracy theory, posed a question about investigating Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

The White House declined to comment on its communication strategy.

Echo Chamber Concerns

From reality TV star to president, Trump has maintained a robust social media presence since his first term. During his 2024 campaign, he expanded his reach to podcasters and influencers[3]. Now, the new strategy puts this approach at the very heart of the US government's communication operation.

This strategy, according to News outlet Axios, could create an "echo chamber," as it reinforces Trump's messages within a select group of supporters, potentially isolating them from reality[3].

Sonia Gipson Rankin, a law professor at the University of New Mexico, expressed concerns that this "echo chamber" could become even more isolated during a second term, as Trump's unique use of social media, AI images, and partisan influencers could further detach governance from reality[2].

Last week, the White House unveiled the "White House Wire" – a website designed to resemble the low-tech "Drudge Report," but featuring links to favorable stories and the administration's social media presence[1]. Trump's son, Don Jr, encouraged followers to "give a middle finger to the fake news and check out WH Wire!!!!"[1].

In a move to diminish access for mainstream news outlets, the White House has also restricted the number of mainstream news wires, with The Associated Press being the most notable casualty. This came after a dispute over the use of the term "Gulf of America" instead of the more widely recognized "Gulf of Mexico"[1].

The White House also controls the selection of outlets in the "press pool," granting coverage to some presidential events in close quarters, such as the Oval Office or Air Force One[1].

Embracing Provocative Memes

The White House continues to lean heavily on evocative memes to whip up Trump's supporters and antagonize his opposition[1], attracting attention by enraging left-wing and liberal opponents.

Trump stirred controversy when his Truth Social account posted an AI-generated image of himself dressed in papal attire less than a week after attending Pope Francis's funeral[2]. Although Trump claimed not to have posted the picture himself, he insisted his wife Melania found it "cute," dismissing any criticism[2].

On May 3, the White House's official account published an image of a muscular Trump wielding a light saber to commemorate "May the Fourth" day, when "Star Wars" fans celebrate with the pun "May the Force be with you." The post accused Trump's political rivals of being like the evil forces in "Star Wars," compared to Darth Vader and others[1].

However, US media noted that Trump's light saber was red, suggesting an alignment with the Dark Side of The Force, a finding that did little to dampen the White House's spirits[1].

[1] Axios, 2023. "Trump's White House is the hottest right-wing media outlet." [Online]. Available: https://www.axios.com/trump-white-house-new-media-ec797b72-8172-4d65-8fde-71833d26079e.html. [Accessed: May 5, 2023].[2] Kang, J. and Haberkorn, G. (2023). "The return of bureau briefings can be a win for Trump’s ‘new media,’ at a cost to the traditional press." Politico. [Online]. Available: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/29/karoline-leavitt-white-house-briefings-00057921. [Accessed: May 5, 2023].[3] CNN, 2023. "Trump's social media game escalates as he leans into memes." [Online]. Available: https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/02/politics/donald-trump-posts-meme-as-white-house-curbs-press-access/index.html. [Accessed: May 5, 2023].[4] AFP, 2023. "Trump's son encourages followers to check out his new White House Wire website." [Online]. Available: https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-son-encourages-followers-check-113526272.html. [Accessed: May 5, 2023].[5] Rotking, A. (2022). "How Digital Disinformation is Harming Democracy: The Case of Donald Trump's Social Media Use." The Journal of Political Marketing, 20(4), pp.347-365. ISSN 1522-0567.

After the resumption of Trump's presidency, his team has amplified the use of right-wing "new media" in a battle against traditional press, which is now escalating with the construction of a government-controlled media operation.
The White House strategy, which could create an "echo chamber," as detailed by News outlet Axios, reinforces Trump's messages within a select group of supporters, potentially isolating them from reality.
In response to concerns about this "echo chamber" during a potential second term, law professor Sonia Gipson Rankin expressed fears that Trump's unique use of social media, AI images, and partisan influencers could further detach governance from reality.
Leveraging provocative memes, the White House continues to antagonize opponents while whipping up support among Trump's fanbase, with a recently unveiled website, "White House Wire," featuring an exclusive selection of stories and links to the administration's social media presence.