Perspective: A new kind of White House press secretary
With the White House press secretary job still left unfilled, maybe an AI assistant might be the answer?
Noticia publicada originalmente por NPR — News en npr.org (se abre en una pestaña nueva). Minuto 24 no es autor de este contenido.
Claves de la noticia
- La Casa Blanca lleva casi un mes sin secretario de prensa, según el artículo, y Katie Zacharia ocupó el cargo solo cinco días a mediados de octubre.
- El presidente Trump anunció en una publicación en línea que pediría a Dana White, presidente y director ejecutivo de la UFC, que asumiera el puesto.
- Trump después aclaró que hablaba en broma sobre Dana White.
- Según el texto, el presidente ha tenido casi 500 interacciones con la prensa, aunque las ruedas de prensa de la Casa Blanca han disminuido en su segundo mandato.
- El autor es columnista de opinión y propone, de forma satírica, que el próximo portavoz sea un chatbot de inteligencia artificial llamado Ben.
Contexto
La Casa Blanca tiene un secretario de prensa que actúa como portavoz oficial del gobierno ante los periodistas, por lo que su ausencia prolongada afecta la forma en que se comunican las decisiones del Ejecutivo. El artículo es un ensayo de opinión publicado por NPR, una emisora pública de Estados Unidos, y no una nota informativa. Plantea una crítica a la reducción de las ruedas de prensa y al creciente uso de las redes sociales por parte del presidente para comunicar directamente sus mensajes. Para un lector que no conoce el caso, es útil saber que el texto mezcla ironía y comentario crítico, por lo que sus propuestas deben leerse como recursos literarios más que como anuncios oficiales.
Resumen elaborado por Minuto 24 con ayuda de inteligencia artificial a partir de la noticia publicada por NPR — News. Puede contener imprecisiones: ante cualquier duda, consulta la fuente original.
ESSAY 11-14-26
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Dana White, UFC president and CEO, speaks in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, in Washington. Alex Brandon/AP hide caption
There has been no White House press secretary for almost a month. But have you really noticed?
Katie Zacharia held the position for 5 days in the middle of October, but her lone briefing was … brief and not well-reviewed.
After several secretary-less weeks, President Trump declared in an online post that he would ask Dana White, the head of the UFC, to take the job, calling him "a violent Fighter and Warrior." Reporters imagined how the CEO of a martial arts league might answer a sharp question with a swift kick to their journalistic chops. "What's the President's plan to bring down inflation?" Then, Bang! Thwap! Ooof!
The president later clarified that he, "was only kidding," about Dana White. He added wistfully, "You wouldn't mess around with him so much."
Even as the number of White House press briefings has declined during the second Trump administration, the president himself has had almost 500 "interactions" with the press: in interviews and press conferences, or impromptu Q&As at a ceremony, aboard Air Force One or while walking to the new White House helipad.
And, really, what is the need for a press secretary when a chief executive can announce whatever they want directly to millions of people on social media at any hour? President Trump posts dozens of times a day on his Truth Social platform, without those pesky reporters around to interrupt his message with fact-checking, contrary opinions or context.
I'd like to float another idea. Why not make the next White Press secretary an AI chat bot? That's how so many corporations now respond to customer complaints and inquiries.
They could call the new White House spokesperson Ben. As in Ben Franklin. Who doesn't like Ben Franklin?
When reporters call or log in to Robo-Ben and ask, "What is the president's response to President Putin's latest statement?" Ben might mellifluously reply, "I'm glad you asked that. I understand your interest." And nothing else. If White House reporters snap back, "But Ben, you're not answering the question!" Robo-Ben might respond, soothingly, "I understand your frustration. Thank you for your patience. Please stay on the line for our Media Satisfaction Survey."
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