White House Press Corps Already “Exhausted” at Start of Second Trump Administration
The White House press corps is already feeling exhausted at the beginning of the second Trump administration, with many reporters commenting on the hectic pace of news surrounding the president-elect’s policy and cabinet nomination announcements.
New York Times White House correspondent Peter Baker said, “Anybody who went through it the last time remembers how nonstop it was. It ends up kind of becoming all-consuming and taking over your life. It wears you down.”
The reporters noted that President-elect Donald Trump is already driving a hectic news cycle, with many events and announcements happening rapidly. “Everybody’s exhausted, and he hasn’t even taken office yet,” Baker added.
Trump’s unpredictability and penchant for surprise announcements are also contributing to the fatigue, according to Hill national political reporter Julia Manchester. “He thrives on unpredictability,” she said. “It’s like déjà vu all over again.”
Politico national political correspondent Meredith McGraw agreed, noting that news organizations will need to focus on bigger-picture stories rather than following every single development. “No matter where Trump goes, what he does, there’s behind-the-scenes drama and intrigue,” she said.
The reporters also expressed concerns about the ongoing clashes between Trump and the media, with some fearing they could be kicked out of the briefing room. However, Baker and others vowed to continue covering the news from the outside if necessary.
With Trump’s team having gained knowledge of how the media works and relationships with news organizations, McGraw noted, “they’ll definitely tap into those and use those relationships to their advantage.” Baker remarked, “We have to recognize that he is a different, more experienced person at turning the levers of power than he was the first time around.”