Washington 15 Jan (ANA) - Donald Trump’s incoming administration could evict the press corps from the White House, it has been reported, after one senior transition official described journalists as “the opposition party”. Reporters currently occupy a space inside the White House’s West Wing, where the press secretary gives briefings and the President holds press conferences. But advisers are weighing up arrangements in the James S Brady briefing room in the wake of coverage they view as hostile, Esquire reported. Mr Trump’s press secretary Sean Spicer confirmed the transition team was “discussing” the situation, framing it as an opportunity to have more journalists at briefings. “There has been so much interest in covering a President Donald Trump,” he said.

“A question is: is a room that has 49 seats adequate? When we had that press conference the other day, we had thousands of requests, and we capped it at four hundred. “Is there an opportunity to potentially allow more members of the media to be part of this? That’s something we’re discussing. There has been no decision.”  The press might be moved next door, to the Old Executive Office Building, or to the White House Conference Centre slightly further away, Esquire said.(ANA)

FA/ANA/15 Janauary 2017-----