President Trump’s Media Policy Creating Friction

President Trump's relations with the media — never strong to begin with — have taken another sour turn with dwindling opportunities for on-camera engagement with the president's representatives. The White House has appeared to adopt a communications strategy of dealing primarily with its base of supporters, as witnessed by Trump's two interviews in the past week with Fox News Channel's morning show, "Fox & Friends." Board members of the White House Correspondents Association met with WH Press Secretary Sean Spicer and expressed the importance of Americans getting the chance to question leaders. "We believe it is in the interest of transparency to have regular televised briefings," said Jeff Mason, a Reuters correspondent and president of the White House reporters' group. "We aren't satisfied with the current situation and won't be until it changes." Shortly after the meeting, Spicer held an off-camera briefing. Television networks were allowed to record audio, but not air it live. “I want the president's voice to carry the day," he said.