The White House Correspondents' Association is sounding the alarm over both Trump and Clinton


Neither Hillary Clinton nor Donald Trump has yet agreed to a protective press pool, and with just 15 days left until the election, the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) is sounding the alarm, The Huffington Post reports.
Presidents and president-elects are historically followed by a group of reporters who travel everywhere with the individual in order to report on what he or she is doing, with whom he or she is meeting, and are present if there is a historic event or threat on the president's or president-elect's life. Both Trump and Clinton have been criticized for their current traveling press pools, which aren't fully protective — Trump flies without his and has mocked them on the campaign trail, and reporters weren't told where Clinton was for over an hour after she became ill at a Sept. 11 memorial event, raising unnecessary alarm.
The WHCA board wrote stern letters to both Trump and Clinton's campaigns, stating disapproval over the unprecedented break with tradition. "The WHCA expects the new president-elect to have a protective pool immediately, just like the president does, and we are set to take over coordination of the pooling process from the campaign press corps directly after the election," they wrote. "Not having a protective pool accompany the president-elect would be a particularly serious breach of historical precedent and First Amendment responsibilities. It would prompt consistent and public criticism from the White House press corps, represented by the WHCA board. We urge you to take steps now to ensure that a protective pool is put in place."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Reuters correspondent Jeff Mason, who is also the president of the WHCA, told The Huffington Post that Clinton and Trump's situation is "not normal and it is unacceptable." Sen. John McCain and Gov. Mitt Romney both had protective pools as soon as they had finished the Republican conventions, by comparison.
In their letter to Trump, the WHCA board additionally expressed concerns that Trump's campaign is "lagging behind the level of press access provided by its Democratic counterpart." It has been 89 days since Trump last held a press conference.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
What does 'conquering' Gaza mean to Israel?
Today's Big Question Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet has approved a plan to displace much of the Palestinian population while seizing and occupying the territory on a long-term basis.
-
Casey Means: the controversial 'wellness influencer' nominated for surgeon general
In the Spotlight Means has drawn controversy for her closeness to RFK Jr.
-
Trump taps Fox News' Pirro for DC attorney post
speed read The president has named Fox News host Jeanine Pirro to be the top federal prosecutor for Washington, replacing acting US Attorney Ed Martin
-
Trump taps Fox News' Pirro for DC attorney post
speed read The president has named Fox News host Jeanine Pirro to be the top federal prosecutor for Washington, replacing acting US Attorney Ed Martin
-
Trump, UK's Starmer outline first post-tariff deal
speed read President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Kier Starmer struck a 'historic' agreement to eliminate some of the former's imposed tariffs
-
Fed leaves rates unchanged as Powell warns on tariffs
speed read The Federal Reserve says the risks of higher inflation and unemployment are increasing under Trump's tariffs
-
Denmark to grill US envoy on Greenland spying report
speed read The Trump administration ramped up spying on Greenland, says reporting by The Wall Street Journal
-
Supreme Court allows transgender troop ban
speed read The US Supreme Court will let the Trump administration begin executing its ban on transgender military service members
-
Hollywood confounded by Trump's film tariff idea
speed read President Trump proposed a '100% tariff' on movies 'produced in foreign lands'
-
Trump offers migrants $1,000 to 'self-deport'
speed read The Department of Homeland Security says undocumented immigrants can leave the US in a more 'dignified way'
-
Trump is not sure he must follow the Constitution
speed read When asked about due process for migrants in a TV interview, President Trump said he didn't know whether he had to uphold the Fifth Amendment