Trump Admin Refuses to Engage WIth Reporters Who Include Pronouns in Emails: Report
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed to The New York Times that the Trump administration has adopted a policy of not responding to journalists who include pronouns in their email signatures.
According to the Times, several reporters have had requests for comment ignored by administration officials because of pronouns listed in their email bios or signatures. Katie Miller, a senior advisor at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), reportedly declined to respond to a Times inquiry after seeing the reporter had pronouns in their email signature.
“As a matter of policy, I don’t respond to people who use pronouns in their signatures as it shows they ignore scientific realities and therefore ignore facts,” Miller responded. In a separate email, Miller explained that “This applies to all reporters who have pronouns in their signature.”
Leavitt echoed that stance in her own response to the outlet: “Any reporter who chooses to put their preferred pronouns in their bio clearly does not care about biological reality or truth and therefore cannot be trusted to write an honest story.”
“As a matter of policy, we do not respond to reporters with pronouns in their bios,” she added.
Matt Berg, a correspondent for Crooked Media, told the Times he experienced a similar response when he sent a request for comment with “(he/him)” included in his email signature. His message, directed at Miller, received a reply reaffirming the administration’s stance.
“I find it baffling that they care more about pronouns than giving journalists accurate information, but here we are,” Berg said in response to the policy.
A spokesperson for The New York Times also criticized the policy, calling it “both a concerning and baffling choice, especially from the highest press office in the U.S. government.” However, the move is consistent with President Donald Trump’s broader campaign to push back against left-wing cultural movements, particularly in regard to gender identity and what the administration has labeled “woke” ideology.
