For the first time since July 23, the White House has a press briefing on the calendar, but it’s unclear who will take the podium. Reporters have long awaited a formal update from the White House, given military actions in the Middle East and looming midterm elections.
Former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt left her post last week after announcing she was stepping down to focus on her family.
Download the Straight Arrow app today to get the stories that matter free from manipulation, bias or agenda.™
Point phone camera here
Since her departure, the administration hasn’t held a formal briefing, but President Donald Trump has regularly spoken with reporters and shared updates on social media.
Press briefings under previous administrations
Traditionally, White House press briefings are scheduled on most weekdays when the president is at the White House.
However, the frequency of those meetings varies from administration to administration.
During the George W. Bush administration, Bush’s press secretaries held an average of 189 briefings per year. From 2001 to 2003, his administration held 566 briefings, according to The American Presidency Project, which tracks briefings for each administration.
Former President Barack Obama’s press secretaries held even more, with briefings often happening several times a week. In the first three years of his administration, Obama’s administration held 720 briefings.
In his first term, the Trump administration held far fewer briefings: 318 in its first three years. Then, numbers spiked under former President Joe Biden, whose administration held 929 briefings. Many of those briefings were focused on a rapidly changing COVID-19 pandemic.
Fewer briefings, more presidential interactions
But despite Trump’s lower number of formal briefings, he actually had more documented exchanges with reporters than the other presidents during their first three years.
In addition to briefings, The American Presidency Project looked at how many exchanges presidents had with reporters in their first three years.
It found Bush had 305 exchanges with reporters from 2001-2003. Obama had just 96 in his first three years, and Biden had 388.
Trump, however, surpassed them all with 509 exchanges, meaning his administration had fewer formal briefings, but reporters still had regular access to the president himself.
It’s similar to what the media has seen in recent weeks.
While formal briefings have become less frequent, Trump has regularly taken questions from reporters during events, on the White House lawn and aboard Air Force One. He has also continued to communicate directly with the public through his social media platform, Truth Social.
However, who those reporters are has changed under the Trump administration. In February 2025, the White House announced it was taking over what reporters would be assigned to cover pool events. That responsibility previously fell on the White House Correspondents’ Association.
The White House is set to hold the long-awaited briefing on Thursday. Trump hasn’t announced who will replace Leavitt, but told reporters last month that he’s “never had so many applications in my life.” Several names have been floated as possible replacements, but the administration hasn’t confirmed anyone.
Round out your reading
- Former Fetterman staffers create social media account to expose former boss.
- Why Gen Z finally wants Boomer hand-me-downs.
- Want a copy of Pete Hegseth’s driver’s license? It’s for sale on the dark web.
- Smart glasses helped a man see the world. The privacy panic took it away.
- Americans are keeping cars longer, so the auto industry is making it easier to pay for repairs.
