Real America's Voice, a right-wing streaming channel, on Tuesday published video of President Donald Trump's motorcade — a move that former White House Association president Weijia Jiang explained is a big no-no.

"NYPD is going ALL OUT to protect President Trump as he travels through NYC tonight, on his way back to DC. THANK YOU, NYPD," wrote conservative Nick Sortor in a post sharing video of the procession of vehicles carrying the president. "And thank you [Real America Voice] for showing us RAW footage of how difficult it is to keep President Trump safe."

Sortor does not work directly for Real America's Voice as a White House correspondent, but he is a frequent guest, contributor and featured personality on the channel.

As CBS' Jiang explained, members of the White House Correspondents' Association "are advised not to air any video of taillights because it is a potential risk to the security of the motorcade." Reporters assigned to the pool ride with the president in the line of cars that follows his vehicle.

On Monday, Jiang explained to a far-right commentator that while the streaming channel may be able to film events involving the president, it has no ability to "POOL" coverage. When it obtains video, the outlet uses it for itself rather than distributing it through a pool. Pool coverage allows multiple outlets to share video because, as Jiang put it, "in spaces like the Oval [Office] there's not enough room for every outlet, which is what makes the pool necessary to ensure everyone (including RAV) has the footage."

Several conservatives have argued that the pool is unnecessary because anyone with a cellphone camera could do the job. Newsmax inadvertently demonstrated what that looks like on Monday, when its attempt to cover a Trump photo opportunity at the White House produced video with no audio attached.

As CNN explained, "The pool has evolved over time, adding different types of media organizations to accommodate shifts in how Americans consume news. But the mission has largely remained the same: to bear witness in person to the president words and actions, ask questions when possible and share that information and imagery with colleagues at other outlets, and by extension the public."

When Trump returned to office in 2025, his press office enacted changes to how the press pool operates. Wire services that once held permanent slots in the pool — including Reuters and the Associated Press — were no longer given daily access, but were allowed to continue on a rotating basis.

Unlike a single newspaper or website, a wire service supplies reporting to other news organizations, including local newspapers, magazines, digital outlets and local television stations. That downstream reach is why the makeup of the pool — and questions over who may film the president — carries weight for outlets and audiences well beyond those in the room.

Source: Alternet