Trump Floats Moving White House Reporters

President Donald Trump posted Friday on Truth Social that he is considering relocating the White House press corps to a different spot. He wrote that he might move reporters 'to a less obnoxious location', while insisting he has no plan to demolish the current briefing room.

Trump pushed back hard on stories claiming he intends to tear out the briefing room to restore a swimming pool beneath the floor. He labeled those reports 'Fake News' and wrote, 'I NEVER even thought to do such a stupid thing!'

Those stories stemmed from a New York Times piece published Tuesday stating that Trump had pitched the idea to his former press secretary, Karoline Leavitt. That proposal did not move forward during her time in the role, which concluded on August 27.

The pool at the center of the reports dates to 1933, when it was installed in the West Wing for President Franklin D Roosevelt, who had polio and used swimming to relieve soreness, according to his presidential library. President Richard Nixon later ordered a floor built over the water in the 1970s to house a briefing room as the press corps expanded. The pool still sits below that surface.

Leavitt addressed the idea Friday during an appearance on HBO's 'Real Time with Bill Maher'. She said Trump is 'flirting' with bringing the pool back, adding that he 'maybe, wants to restore it to all of its glory' and that she does not know if he will do it.

These comments land during a strained stretch between Trump and the journalists covering him. He barred reporters from CNN, MS NOW and POLITICO from the White House last month, drawing criticism from free speech advocates who argued the action violated First Amendment protections.

A US federal judge ruled that the order was likely unconstitutional, which forced the White House to restore access for those journalists. The administration continues to fight that ruling.

Trump has also repeatedly criticized reporters he views as unfair. At an Oval Office event Tuesday, he turned on Andrew Feinberg, The Independent's White House correspondent, as Feinberg attempted to ask a question. 'What's wrong with you? Are you a sick person? I actually think there's something wrong with you', Trump said. The White House shared the exchange on social media.

Any shift in the briefing room setup would join a run of changes to the White House grounds since Trump returned to power last year. He has torn down the East Wing for a new ballroom, laid concrete pavers across the center of the Rose Garden lawn and built a helipad on the South Lawn.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.