US President Donald Trump has denied plans to replace the White House press briefing room with a swimming pool, but has suggested that journalists could be moved to another location amid his ongoing tensions with the media.
In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, October 24, Trump dismissed reports that he intended to restore the historic swimming pool beneath the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room.
“There is a Fake News report out there that I am going to remove the White House Press Room and bring back the old Swimming Pool, which lies directly underneath,” Trump wrote.
“Although I may move the Fake News to a less obnoxious location, the old swimming pool will never be brought back,” he added. “I NEVER even thought to do such a stupid thing!”
Trump’s statement followed a September 27 post in which he shared side-by-side images of the press briefing room and an ornate swimming pool. The images were labelled “Fake News Before” and “FDR Pool After”, prompting speculation about whether he was considering restoring the pool.
Although Trump has now explicitly rejected the idea, his latest remarks leave open the possibility of relocating the White House press corps. The administration has not announced any final decision on such a move.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung previously said that “all options remain on the table”, adding that an announcement would be made “when appropriate”.
The dispute comes amid an increasingly strained relationship between the Trump administration and sections of the news media. Changes to the press corps’ workspace could further alter journalists’ access to the president and senior officials.
The historic indoor pool was built in 1933 during President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration. Roosevelt, who had polio, used swimming as a form of exercise.
In 1970, during President Richard Nixon’s administration, the pool was covered to create additional workspace for White House reporters. The briefing room was renamed the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room in 2000, honouring the former press secretary who was seriously wounded during the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan.’
Separately, Trump has overseen a major construction project involving the White House East Wing. The plans include a new ballroom above ground and a military facility below ground. The project has faced legal challenges from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, but the Supreme Court allowed construction to continue while the litigation proceeds.
There is no verified evidence that the East Wing construction project is intended to turn the press briefing room back into a swimming pool.
