The White House is no longer offering transcripts on its website, replacing a long-standing practice with videos of President Donald Trump’s remarks.
NBC News reported that an archived version of the “remarks” section includes transcripts, but the site now includes just one — that of Trump’s second inaugural address. The omission has raised questions over transparency and comes as the president spars with the press over who gets access to his events.
The White House, which is still privately transcribing the remarks, has defended the change, noting his comments are still available in video format.
“The president’s remarks are live on the website for every person in the world, including journalists, to access and watch for themselves,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told the outlet. “The Trump White House is the most transparent in history.”
The change stands in contrast to the office of Vice President JD Vance, which is still sending out transcripts for now.
Transcripts are typically a mundane function of White House staff, but became a flashpoint during the 2024 election.
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Former President Joe Biden appeared to say that Trump supporters are “garbage” in remarks, but the transcript added a crucial apostrophe. “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporter’s,” it read, thus referring to a single person rather than the millions of people who backed Trump in the election.
It later emerged that White House press aides changed the transcript themselves without consulting nonpartisan stenographers, further fueling the controversy.
