The White House recently held a series of influencer briefings, inviting social media personalities and independent media figures to engage with the administration. While the press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, framed the initiative as an effort to embrace new media, the guest list was overwhelmingly right-leaning, with many attendees having direct ties to former President Donald Trump.
Among the 25 influencers identified, all but one had a history of supporting Trump, with some having worked in his administration or maintaining personal connections with his family or Cabinet members. The briefings included figures such as Sean Spicer, former Trump press secretary, and Jack Posobiec, a known conspiracy theorist. Some attendees were meme-makers and social media influencers who have promoted controversial content.
Critics argue that the briefings lack authenticity, with some right-wing figures even expressing frustration over the exclusion of certain hardcore MAGA influencers. The administration defended the move, stating that legacy media has traditionally dominated access to the White House, and this initiative aims to diversify the voices covering the presidency.