Trump’s White House Creates Own Media Universe

AFP/APP

Washington: From influencer-only briefings to memes of Donald Trump as the pope and a “Star Wars” Jedi master, the White House is creating its own alternate media reality.

Since Trump’s return to the US presidency in January, his team has given right-wing “new media” an increasingly prominent place as it steps up its war on the traditional press.

But now the White House is going a step further, effectively creating its own government-run media operation to stoke up Trump’s loyal base.

Last week Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt held three alternative briefings reserved for a hand-picked group of partisan outlets.

These “new media” sessions exist in a parallel universe from the traditional White House briefings, and are held in a special auditorium across the road that reporters cannot access freely.

“I absolutely agree with the premise of your question — which I usually don’t when I take questions at a podium,” Leavitt told right-wing activist Jack Posobiec at a briefing on April 30.

Another question came from Dom Lucre, a proponent of the QAnon right-wing conspiracy theory.

“Is there any possibility for names such as Barack Hussein Obama or Hillary Rodham Clinton to ever just possibly get investigated?” Lucre asked Leavitt.

The White House did not respond to requests for comment on its strategy.