Trump Claims He ‘May’ Move Press to ‘Less Obnoxious Location’

White House Press Briefing Room (AP Photo/Alex Brandon); Donald Trump, inset (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

President Donald Trump responded Saturday morning to a report that he was thinking of booting the White House press corps from its briefing room in favor of a pool.

Taking to Truth Social, the president posted:

There is a Fake News report out there that I am going to remove the White House Press Room and bring back the old Swimming Pool, which lies directly underneath. Although I may move the Fake News to a less obnoxious location, the old swimming pool will never be brought back. I NEVER even thought to do such a stupid thing! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DJT

Word of the potential move first emerged this week in The New York Times, in which two favorite targets of Trump — Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan — reported that Trump has repeatedly suggested the change.

The pool was installed at the White House for Franklin D. Roosevelt, but later covered over by Richard Nixon to make room for the press corps.

The president presented the idea to former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt as her “last legacy,” the paper reported, citing three sources who claimed Trump had brought up the idea “multiple” times.

The story emerged in the wake of the fiasco and legal battle which emerged after Trump abruptly banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House.

The news organizations later sued to overturn the ban, which resulted in a television news boycott after CNN was not allowed to carry out its duties in the White House press pool.

Even after a judge initially temporarily overturned the ban, the White House did not immediately move to restore access to the journalists, prompting drama during the state visit of Chinese leader Ji Jingping.

The White House is expected to appeal a judge’s decision blocking the ban.

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