KABUL (Pajhwok): The White House has limited journalists' access to the offices of the press secretary and other senior communications officials in the West Wing, near the Oval Office, a media report said Saturday.

According to Reuters, a new regulation issued Friday restricts accredited journalists from freely entering the offices of Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and other senior communications staff.

The White House said the measure was prompted by“recent structural changes” requiring communications personnel to handle matters related to the National Security Council.

“In this capacity, members of the White House communications staff are routinely engaging with sensitive material,” the statement added.

Under the new rules, reporters will continue to have regular access to a separate office next to the briefing room, where lower-level communications officials are based.

White House Correspondents' Association president Weijia Jiang criticized the restrictions, saying they“hinder the press corps' ability to question officials, ensure transparency, and hold the government accountable, to the detriment of the American public.”

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