On a recent Thursday, journalists cramming into the White House press briefing room saw an unfamiliar face in a rotating seat designated for new media.
It was occupied by John Stoll, who had recently been appointed head of news at X, the social platform owned by Elon Musk.
“As you all know — you are all on X — it’s home to hundreds of millions of users, a large contingent of independent journalists and news organizations across geographies and political spectrums,” said Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, by way of an introduction. She then directed Mr. Stoll to ask the first question.
The decision by the White House to grant X a position of power and visibility alongside news organizations was one of an increasing number of perks landed by the social media company, as Mr. Musk became omnipresent at President Trump’s side.
Since the election, the platform has become a go-to source for administration information, as Mr. Musk provides real-time updates about his Department of Government Efficiency and targets for federal cost-cutting to his more than 219 million followers. In February, at least a dozen government agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service and Defense Department, established new DOGE-focused X accounts to seek tips about federal waste and fraud. Users seeking an audience with Mr. Musk have increasingly flocked to the site in hopes of catching his ear.