According to reports, the White House is about to introduce a new seating arrangement for the briefing room, which might result in several prominent publications losing their regular front-row seats.

According to Axios, the administration intends to create and enforce its own seating arrangement, something that the journalist-led White House Correspondents’ Association has done for decades.

According to Axios, an unidentified senior White House source stated that the Trump administration is aiming for a “fundamental restructuring of the briefing room, based on metrics more reflective of how media is consumed today.”

“The goal isn’t merely favorable coverage,” the official told Axios. “It’s truly an honest look at consumption [of the outlets’ coverage]. Influencers are important, but it’s tough because they aren’t [equipped to provide] consistent coverage. So the ability to cover the White House is part of the metrics.”

“Major legacy outlets will still be included. But expect some to have diminished visibility compared with their customary spots in the first few rows. We want to balance disruption with responsibility,” the official said, per Axios.

“This move tears at the independence of a free press in the United States,” WHCA president Eugene Daniels whined in response to the White House taking over the press pool assignments. “It suggests the government will choose the journalists who cover the president. In a free country, leaders must not be able to choose their own press corps.”