Trump 'Gave Karoline Leavitt a Last Legacy Task to Remove White House Press' as CNN Media Ban Fight Escalates
Karoline Leavitt did one final assignment for President Donald Trump
Oct. 21 2026, Updated 1:04 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump reportedly asked then-White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt to remove the press from the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room before she left the administration in August.
The proposal, detailed in a new book by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, called for the space to be converted back into an indoor swimming pool.
Three people familiar with the discussions told The Times that Trump described the move as Leavitt’s “last legacy.”
Leavitt completed her final day as press secretary on Aug. 27, leaving the administration to spend more time with her family after the birth of her second child in May.
She did not carry out Trump’s reported request. She is set to join Fox News as a contributor on Nov. 1.
Trump’s ‘Last Legacy’ Demand to Leavitt
Donald Trump told Karoline Leavitt that removing the press would be her last legacy
According to the people cited by Haberman and Swan, Trump raised the idea with Leavitt during an Oval Office meeting in August and had discussed removing the press with her on multiple occasions.
The account arrives as Trump’s relationship with the White House press corps faces renewed scrutiny.
The president has repeatedly criticized news organizations over coverage of his administration, while his team has taken steps to restrict access
From Swimming Pool to Press Room
The press briefing room originally used to be a swimming pool years ago
The proposed renovation would reverse a piece of White House history.
An indoor pool opened in 1933 for President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who used swimming as part of his therapy after contracting polio.
President Richard Nixon later had the pool covered and converted into a press briefing room, which opened in 1970.
Trump referenced that history during a July appearance on “Storytime with the Second Lady,” joking that he had not had a bathing suit in a long time.
White House Response Raises Eyebrows
Steven Cheung also confirmed the reports from his side in a statement and a social media post
White House communications director Steven Cheung did not directly deny the report when asked for comment.
Instead, he defended Trump’s view of the media and said, “All options remain on the table, and we will make an announcement when appropriate.”
Cheung also said Americans are “rightly distrustful of the fake news media,” accusing outlets of fabricating stories based on false information.
Trump Escalates Fight With CNN and Others
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Donald Trup used the word "FAKE NEWS" for a few outlets
The report comes after Trump announced Sept. 18 that CNN, MS NOW and Politico would be banned from the White House, accusing them of publishing “FAKE NEWS.”
Reporters from the three outlets were subsequently denied entry.
A federal judge later ordered the administration to restore their access, and a preliminary injunction now prevents the administration from reinstating the ban while the case proceeds.
CNN has continued to challenge restrictions on its access to Air Force One.
