Influencers are the future of journalism — at least, according to the White House. The Trump administration is encouraging podcasters and influencers to apply for press credentials to cover the White House, press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced in January. The administration’s unprecedented decision to welcome influencers into the press pool is part of its strategy to adapt to “the new media landscape of 2025,” she said. The White House’s deprioritization of traditional news media reflects the administration’s hostility towards the press, but it also reflects a larger trend happening among the American public.
Trump’s opposition to the mainstream media is no secret. Since his first presidential run in 2016, he has zealously spread the idea that the mainstream media are a bunch of liars. Since taking office, his administration has barred Associated Press reporters from briefings, launched an investigation into PBS and CBS, and announced it will hand-select the reporters that form the White House press pool. The president is also launching attacks against mainstream media in the courts: ABC agreed in December to settle a defamation suit brought by Trump for $15 million, and CBS is likely to settle a similar case soon.
Americans’ trust in mainstream news media has been falling for decades. It is the least-trusted major civic institution — even less trusted than the federal government. It’s reasonable to assume that this trend is driven by the right’s opposition to mainstream outlets. Data shows evidence of a strong partisan divide with a majority of Democrats reporting a great deal of trust in news media. But there’s also another driver: Gen Z. Only 26 percent of 18-29 year-olds have a great deal of trust in the news media. This figure is only slightly higher for 18-29 year-old Democrats at 31 percent.
The shift away from mainstream news media coincides with the growing popularity of news influencers. One in five Americans regularly get their news from influencers. This trend is amplified among young Americans: 37 percent of Americans under 30 regularly get their updates on current events from other social media users.
Considering the data, the White House’s move to accommodate news influencers in the press pool makes sense. The media landscape is changing, and based on the media consumption habits of young Americans, there’s no going back. It would be ignorant not to adapt.
Yet the White House’s policy is designed to do more than accommodate changes in media consumption; it is a deliberate attempt to accelerate the shift away from traditional news outlets.
Any policy that limits the power of the already-declining mainstream media is good news for a president who detests all non-sympathetic coverage. News influencers (sympathetic ones, of course) have also proven to be a hit for Trump, who sought the support of young male voters in the 2024 election by appearing on popular podcasts run by influencers including Joe Rogan, Theo Von, and Logan Paul. He got it: 56 percent of men under 30 voted for Trump in 2024, up 16 points from 2020. It’s no wonder why he wants to keep courting influencers.
The White House’s embrace of news influencers must be taken in the context of its dogged assault on mainstream outlets. Under a different administration, welcoming influencer coverage might be a benign attempt to adapt to our current era of social media-driven news. Under this one, it’s just another example of Trump seeking to shape the media landscape to his benefit.
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