President Donald Trump just placed some new restrictions on reporters' access to the White House. 

Fox News reports that White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the move on Friday.

While the political left is trying to claim that Trump is violating their First Amendment rights, the White House is claiming that this move is necessary to protect sensitive White House data.

Some reporters have been caught secretly recording video and audio of our offices, along with pictures of sensitive info, without permission

Some reporters have wandered into restricted areas (our offices are feet away from the Oval Office)

Some reporters have been caught… https://t.co/tosUqrcKGt

— Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) October 31, 2025

The memo:

White House reporters learned about the new restrictions by way of a memorandum that was disseminated by the White House on Friday.

Fox News reports:

In a memorandum, the National Security Council said journalists are prohibited from accessing Room 140, also known as "Upper Press," which is located near the Oval Office, without an appointment, claiming that the move is needed to shield potentially sensitive materials and protect national security.

The outlet goes on to quote from the memo.

It, in part, reads:

In order to protect such material, and maintain coordination between National Security Council Staff and White House Communications Staff, members of the press are no longer permitted to access Room 140 without prior approval in the form of an appointment with an authorized White House Staff Member

Fox notes "Journalists may still access another area where lower-level White House communications staff have desks."

A constitutional violation?

The White House Correspondents’ Association is already pushing back on the new restrictions.

CBS News White House reporter Weijia Jiang, the current president of the group, said:

The White House Correspondents' Association unequivocally opposes any effort to limit journalists from areas within the communications operations of the White House that have long been open for newsgathering, including the press secretary’s office.

The White House's Steven Cheung, however, has provided more information about the need for the restrictions.

He, on social media, wrote:

Some reporters have been caught secretly recording video and audio of our offices, along with pictures of sensitive info, without permission Some reporters have wandered into restricted areas (our offices are feet away from the Oval Office) Some reporters have been caught eavesdropping on private, closed-door meetings Cabinet Secretaries routinely come into our office for private meetings, only to be ambushed by reporters waiting outside our doors Press still has access to lower press where the press team sits and can answer all inquiries Reporters can make appointments to see us in our offices.

One thing that has to be kept in perspective is that President Trump, unlike his predecessor, remains one of the most transparent presidents and politicians in history. These restrictions are not going to change that. They may, however, plug some leaks.