The White House on Friday announced it would no longer allow members of the media to freely access a part of the West Wing that houses the press secretary's office and other staff members.

The White House issued a memo that prohibits journalists from accessing "Upper Press," which is situated near the Oval Office, without an appointment.

The press secretary, the White House communications director and other senior staff have offices in "Upper Press," and journalists have typically been able to come and go to speak with those officials. All journalists on the White House campus must have a press pass — either a permanent one or a temporary one issued by Secret Service.

The administration framed the decision as a matter of national security, but........

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