Donald Trump’s new press secretary on Tuesday invited TikTokers and podcasters to apply for White House press passes, in an effort to reach beyond the mainstream media that the US president often slams. In her first time at the White House podium, Karoline Leavitt said an additional seat for “new media voices” had been reserved at the front of the cramped briefing room.
Trump has repeatedly criticized traditional media as the “enemy of the people,” and he credits a series of podcast appearances for aiding his return to the White House.
“As the youngest press secretary in history, thanks to President Trump, I take great pride in opening up this room to new media voices,” the 27-year-old Leavitt told a packed briefing room.
“Whether you are a TikTok content creator, a blogger, a podcaster, if you are producing legitimate news content… you will be allowed to apply for press credentials to this White House,” she said.
The shake-up was more modest that some news organizations had feared, after the president’s son Donald Trump Jr. talked in November about “opening up” the press room.
The 49 seats in the room are allocated to a number of news organizations, including AFP, that are members of the White House Correspondents Association.
Reporters without seats are allowed to stand at the side if there is space — as they did for Leavitt’s packed-out debut on Tuesday.
The new press secretary also vowed to hold reporters accountable for what she said were “lies” about Trump.
“We know for a fact there have been lies that have been pushed by many legacy media outlets in this country about this president, about his family, and we will not accept that,” she said.
The briefing at the iconic White House podium was Leavitt’s first since Trump was inaugurated eight days ago. She has so far largely spoken to conservative television outlets including Fox News.
Trump sidestepped interviews with some major US TV networks during the election campaign, opting instead to speak to several largely right-wing podcasts including the hugely popular Joe Rogan Experience.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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Reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington; Editing by Cynthia Osterman
The White House is facing mounting questions over a sweeping new buyout initiative targeting millions of federal employees. This week, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the plan, emphasizing that its purpose is to cut costs and bring workers back into federal offices — not to purge political opponents, as critics have claimed.
Under the initiative, nearly 2 million civilian federal workers have been offered a “deferred resignation program.”
Those who accept can resign now yet continue to receive full pay and benefits through September, as long as they opt in before the February 6 deadline.
The offer does not apply to:
Active-duty military
Postal Service employees
National security agencies
Its focus is squarely on the civilian workforce.
The buyout is a key part of President Trump’s broader effort to reduce government spending and reshape the federal workforce.
Leavitt noted that many government buildings remain underutilized due to long-term remote work. The administration argues that:
Payroll costs remain high despite low physical attendance
Agencies need to streamline operations
Employees should return to the office to increase accountability and collaboration
The buyout is framed as a way to either encourage workers back into offices or allow them to leave voluntarily with compensation.
Union leaders warn that the program could have serious consequences.
Everett Kelley, president of the largest federal employee union, says the initiative risks:
Undermining essential public services
Creating staffing shortages in critical departments
Pressuring workers into leaving prematurely
Some political critics have taken the warning further, claiming the buyout is a veiled attempt to remove dissenting voices within the federal workforce.
Leavitt rejected these allegations outright, calling them “false” and insisting the program has no political screening or targeting.
Supporters of the initiative argue that the federal workforce has been slow to adapt to changing operational needs. They say:
Remote work has reduced productivity and accountability in some agencies
Government payroll and overhead are unsustainably high
A buyout is a practical and humane way to reduce staffing without forced layoffs
To them, this is a necessary push to modernize a system burdened by inefficiency.
The program reflects a broader shift toward a leaner, more office-centered federal workforce. But its impact will depend on:
How many workers take the buyout
Whether agencies can maintain service quality
How quickly workers are required to return
How states and local offices adapt to reduced federal support
Many experts warn of a possible surge in retirements or resignations that could reshape the federal bureaucracy for years.
With the February deadline fast approaching, millions of federal employees must choose whether to return to the office or accept the buyout.
Regardless of the outcome, the initiative promises to influence future debates about government efficiency, workforce modernization, and the balance between cost-cutting and public service.
This is more than a personnel decision — it’s a glimpse into the evolving identity of the federal government itself.
London – With visible sorrow etched on his face and his voice filled with emotion, Prince William, the Prince of Wales, stood before cameras at Kensington Palace today to deliver a tragic announcement that has left the United Kingdom — and the world — in mourning.
Though the details had been closely guarded in the hours prior, Prince William confirmed that a beloved member of the royal family has passed away under deeply painful circumstances. The announcement, kept private until the family could gather and grieve together, is already being described as one of the darkest moments for the monarchy since the loss of Queen Elizabeth II.’
According to official sources, the tragedy relates to a sudden and unexpected medical crisis involving a senior royal family member, whose identity, at the time of the initial statement, was withheld out of respect.
However, moments later, the Palace confirmed the heartbreaking news:
“Her Royal Highness, Princess Catherine, the Princess of Wales, has succumbed to complications from her ongoing illness, peacefully and surrounded by her family.”
The room fell into stunned silence.
Struggling to hold back tears, Prince William continued:
“Catherine was not only my wife, the mother of our children, and my companion through every storm — she was my strength. The world saw her as a princess. I saw her as my heart.”
“Our children — George, Charlotte, and Louis — are holding together as best they can. I will be by their side every moment, helping them carry their mother’s light into the future.”
Immediately following the announcement, church bells began ringing across the UK. Thousands gathered outside royal residences, leaving flowers, handwritten letters, and holding one another in tearful silence.
Social media exploded with sorrow, with hashtags like #RestInPeaceCatherine, #PrincessOfHearts, and #StrengthForWilliam trending within minutes. Public figures, global leaders, and citizens alike flooded the internet with tributes, sharing how Princess Kate had touched their lives.
One message from a nurse in Wales read:
“She held my hand during my cancer treatment and told me to stay brave. Now it’s our turn to carry her courage.”
As the Prince of Wales stood to leave, he offered one final message to the world:
“Please remember her not just as a royal, but as someone who cared — deeply, selflessly, and truly. Her legacy lives in every act of kindness. And in every smile of our children.”
The United Kingdom now enters a period of official mourning. Flags fly at half-mast. Schoolchildren lay flowers. And a family — once the image of hope and duty — must now walk forward with a piece of its heart missing.
Prince William has issued an emotional message expressing his sorrow, saying “we shall never forget them,” after hearing the news of a sad death. The Prince of Wales took to social media to pay tribute to the last surviving Battle of Britain pilot, John ‘Paddy’ Hemingway, following his death aged 105.
The veteran played a crucial role in defending the United Kingdom against Nazi oppression during the summer of 1940. His courage in the face of overwhelming odds demonstrated his sense of duty and the importance of British resilience. In his message today, William said: “I was sad to hear about the passing of John ‘Paddy’ Hemingway this morning, the last of “The Few”. We owe so much to Paddy and his generation for our freedoms today. Their bravery and sacrifice will always be remembered. We shall never forget them. W.”
Also paying tribute was Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer who said he was saddened to hear of Mr Hemingway’s death, adding: “Eighty years ago, the courage and determination of Paddy and all our brave RAF pilots helped bring an end to the Second World War. They fearlessly flew over enemy territory to protect the UK and its Allies, risking their lives.
“He never considered himself a hero and often referred to himself as the ‘Lucky Irishman’, a man simply doing his job, like so many others of his generation. Despite his sacrifice, he would tell stories of the joyous memories he made and moments he shared with his peers, many of whom never returned home. Their sense of duty and service secured our freedom, and we shall never forget them.”
In an interview with the Mirror in 2019, when he turned 100, Mr Hemingway said he disliked being called a Second World War hero. Instead, he says it’s the luck of the Irish that saw him through the war. Hewas shot down four times, but lived to tell the remarkable tale – from being plucked out of the North Sea by a rowing boat to strolling past Nazi troops disguised as an Italian farmer.
He said at the time: “I regard myself as an exceptionally lucky man. I have recently celebrated my 100th birthday, my health is good and I survived being shot down four times – twice in two weeks during the Battle of Britain – with just minor injuries. I lived through extraordinary times but I don’t see myself as exceptional in any way. I’m alive because of luck.”
In 1940, Mr Hemingway was recorded as destroying a German airliner and the following day he downed a German Luftwaffe plane, but his Hurricane fighter was hit by anti-aircraft fire and he had to make a forced landing. He then became one of the frontline members of 11 Group’s response to daily attacks by German aircraft, which went on to be known as the Battle of Britain.
His logbook records up to five daily sorties he and the other pilots undertook in defence of the UK. In August 1940, amid intense dogfights, he was forced to bail out of his Hurricanes twice, landing once in the sea off the Essex coast and the other time in marshland.
On July 1 1941, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and in September that year, he was mentioned in despatches by senior officers. Mr Hemingway went on to serve as an air fighter controller during D-Day operations, and in 1945 he joined the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces with 324 Wing.
He was stationed in Italy towards the end of the war and commanded 43 Squadron. During this period, he was forced to bail out for a fourth time. While attacking enemy forces near Ravenna in April 1945, his Spitfire was hit multiple times by anti-aircraft fire.
He parachuted into enemy territory and managed to contact local partisans who helped him return to his squadron. In 1966, he became Officer Commanding RAF Leconfield and eventually attained the rank of Group Captain.