In her first appearance on the White House briefing room podium, press secretary Caroline Levitt unveiled a new communications strategy, highlighting how the Trump administration intends to significantly expand journalist access to the White House.

“The Trump White House will reach out to all media and celebrities, not just the traditional media in this room,” Levitt said, inviting anyone in the US doing “legitimate” reporting to apply for accreditation.

Levitt, who at 27 is the youngest press spokeswoman ever to hold that office, announced that the Trump administration would reinstate the accreditations of some 440 journalists, which were “mistakenly revoked” by the Biden administration in the summer of 2023.

The decision to open the White House’s door to more journalists, from non-traditional media as well as independent bloggers and influencers, is aimed at better reaching an audience that is gradually abandoning the major print and television networks for their information, Levitt noted.

At the same time, he announced that the front row, traditionally used by staff, will be renamed “new media positions.”

In the first briefing, in fact, Levitt reversed the tradition of the Associated Press getting the first question, giving priority to Mike Allen of Axios and Matt Boyle of Breitbart, who were in the new media seats. During the press conference, Levitt made sure to give the floor to both correspondents from the major networks who were in the front row and reporters in the back of the room or even those standing on the sides. Some of them thanked Levitt for giving them the opportunity to ask questions.

The Associated Press’ Zeke Miller, according to tradition, asked Levitt if she believes her role is to tell the truth to the public or to serve the president, even if it means she can mislead reporters: “I pledge to tell the truth from this platform every day. I pledge to speak on behalf of the president,” Levitt replied, adding that the White House will not hesitate to respond when it believes the press is misinforming the public.