Journalists packed into the White House press briefing room on a recent Thursday were greeted by unfamiliar faces in a swivel seat labeled New Media. John Stoll, the newly appointed head of news at X, a social platform owned by Elon Musk, occupied the seat.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt introduced Stoll, emphasizing the platform’s importance to millions of users, independent journalists, and news organizations. She then instructed Stoll to ask the first question.
Granting power and visibility status to social media companies, alongside news organizations, was one of the perks secured as Musk aligned with Trump.
Musk’s real-time updates on government efficiency and federal cost savings on X have attracted over 219 million followers, making the platform a go-to source for management information.
Despite ongoing struggles, X’s positioning as a government mouthpiece and its partnership with Trump have strengthened the platform.
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Source: www.nytimes.com