Politics
WATCH: Tim Pool Exposes Decade Of Media Hoaxes Right To Reporters’ Faces
Independent journalist Tim Pool turned heads during Tuesday’s White House press briefing when he called out mainstream outlets over a decade’s worth of what he called “false narratives,” sparking a direct exchange with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in front of the assembled press corps.
Sitting in the newly created “new media” seat—a spot designated for independent outlets and podcasters as part of the Trump administration’s evolving press strategy—Pool used his moment to highlight what he sees as coordinated misinformation campaigns from legacy media.
“Many of these organizations that are represented in this room have marched in lockstep on false narratives such as the Very Fine People hoax, the Covington smear, and now what’s being called the Maryland Man hoax, where an MS-13 gang member adjudicated by two different judges, I believe, is just simply being referred to as a Maryland man over and over again,” Pool said from his seat.
He then shifted to address recent hostility toward non-traditional media outlets receiving access under the Trump White House’s new press policies.
“Now, in an effort from the White House to expand access to new companies, you’ve created this new media seat. So I’m wondering if you can comment on – following this expansion, you’ve had numerous outlets disparage the companies that you’ve had sit here, as well as the reporters. I’m wondering if you can comment on the unprofessional behavior, as well as elaborate if there’s any plans to expand access to new companies,” Pool asked.
“Well, we certainly welcome diverse viewpoints in this room, which is one of the reasons we have you in here, and there’s many new faces in this room in comparison to the previous administrations,” Leavitt said.
“We want to welcome all viewpoints into this room. We welcome unbiased journalists who really care about the truth and the facts and the accuracy.”
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Leavitt then directly addressed the controversy surrounding Kilmar Ábrego García, the so-called “Maryland Man,” whose deportation has drawn criticism from immigrant advocates but strong backing from the administration.
“And you rightfully pointed out the Maryland Man story, which I, from this podium, when the Atlantic published it, on that very first day, I came to this podium and said, ‘This is wrong.’ The press in this room have this story wrong,” she said.
“And we have seen more and more evidence come to the table that we have had all along. We were always right. The president was always on the right side of this issue to deport this illegal criminal from our community.”
She continued, “It is despicable to see the media continue to refer to this individual as someone who is just a peaceful man living his life in Maryland. This is, was, and always has been an illegal criminal, an MS-13 gang member, and a designated foreign terrorist, and the administration maintains our position to deport these individuals from our community. So, thank you for being here, Tim. It’s great to see you.”
With “Podcast Row” events and media shakeups that have sidelined outlets like Reuters and Bloomberg, the White House is leaning into platforms that resonate with its base.
