Trump Considers Replacing White House Briefing Room With Indoor Swimming Pool

President Donald Trump has reportedly been pushing to kick the press from the White House briefing room to transform the space into an indoor swimming pool.

According to The New York Times, Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of removing reporters from the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room to restore the indoor swimming pool Franklin D. Roosevelt installed in 1933 to help manage the effects of polio. President Richard Nixon later covered the pool to make room for the White House press corps.

The outlet reports that the president made the pitch to former press secretary Karoline Leavitt in late August, telling her it would be her “last legacy” before leaving the administration. Three sources claimed Trump had made the request several times over the last few months, but the talks went nowhere.

Trump hasn’t tried to hide his desire to turn the briefing room into an indoor pool. Last month, he shared two side-by-side images on Truth Social, one showing the current briefing room (labeled “Fake News”) and the other a renovated gold-trimmed pool (labeled “FDR Pool”).

According to The Times, Trump’s advisers have previously resisted his attempts to relocate the press, most likely to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building across the street. They argued it would be a logistical nightmare and could trigger political backlash. However, the president’s circle is now smaller, and he has those backing his plans.

One of those backers is Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte, who reportedly presented a foam board mock-up of the proposed pool. Pulte has no official White House role but often joins Trump at his golf clubs on weekends.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung also didn’t rule out the renovation when asked to comment. “All options remain on the table, and we will make an announcement when appropriate,” he told the Times.

Trump has made several renovations since returning to office in January 2025. This includes overhauling the Oval Office with gold ornamentation, paving over the Rose Garden, installing a portrait walk of former presidents, and demolishing the historic East Wing to make way for a new ballroom.