The Press at the White House: 1901-1918

In 1902, the executive offices were moved from the second floor of the White House to the newly erected Executive Office Building (later named the West Wing). The building included an innovation—a small press room. Reporter access during the Theodore Roosevelt administration changed markedly when he required that cabinet members channel all press requests through his private secretary. William H. Taft made little effort to promote himself and newsmen accused him of withholding news. Woodrow Wilson held the first formal, public presidential press conference on March 15, 1913.