Veteran White House Reporter Peter Maer: 'Never Saw Anything Like That' on Trump and the Press
Veteran White House reporter Peter Maer reflects on covering President Trump and the press in a new Religion News Service interview. Here's what he said.
In brief
Veteran White House reporter Peter Maer told Religion News Service that covering President Trump and the press was unlike anything he had seen in his career. In an interview headlined "Never Saw Anything Like That," Maer — a journalist with decades of experience inside the White House — offered his firsthand assessment of the Trump administration's relationship with the press corps.
Key Takeaways
Veteran White House reporter Peter Maer described the Trump-press dynamic as something he had never previously encountered in his career.
Maer shared his reflections in an interview with Religion News Service.
The interview adds to a growing body of firsthand accounts from reporters who covered the Trump White House.
Peter Maer and a Career Inside the White House Briefing Room
Few beats in American journalism carry the weight and pressure of the White House. Reporters who cover the presidency over multiple administrations develop a rare institutional memory — one that makes Maer's assessment particularly notable. His characterization of the Trump-press relationship as something he had never previously witnessed speaks to how significantly that dynamic stood apart from prior administrations, at least in his experience.
Religion News Service, which focuses on the intersection of faith, culture, and public life, published the interview as part of its broader coverage of media, politics, and power. The outlet has become an increasingly cited source on how religious and civic institutions navigate the current political landscape in Washington.
For context on how the White House press corps has evolved and how reporters navigate access and adversarial dynamics, the White House Correspondents' Association has documented the history of the briefing room relationship between presidents and the press. The Pew Research Center's journalism project has also tracked shifting public trust in media coverage of the presidency.
Washington runs on access, and the relationship between the White House and the press corps is one of the city's most consequential power dynamics. Reporters who cover the presidency are not merely observers — they are participants in the flow of information that shapes public understanding of the executive branch. When a veteran of that beat describes the Trump era as something categorically different, it carries weight inside the Beltway in a way that outsider commentary does not.
The briefing room at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue has been a contested space in recent years. Accounts from correspondents who worked that beat — whether from outlets like NPR, the Washington Post, or wire services — have consistently described an environment marked by tension between the administration and the journalists assigned to cover it. Maer's interview with Religion News Service adds another firsthand data point to that record.
For readers tracking DC's media and politics landscape, this conversation fits into a broader reckoning about press freedom, institutional trust, and the evolving role of the White House correspondent. Explore more on DC's political landscape in 2026 and the figures shaping it on the DC Power Players Index.
What to Watch Next
As more veteran White House reporters publish memoirs, give interviews, and reflect on their years covering the Trump administration, a clearer historical portrait of that era's press dynamics will emerge. Maer's account is one piece of that larger record. Watch for additional firsthand reporting from correspondents who worked the beat — and for how the current White House press relationship continues to evolve heading deeper into 2026.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Peter Maer? Peter Maer is a veteran White House reporter who covered the presidency for years, accumulating firsthand experience across multiple administrations inside the White House briefing room.
What did Peter Maer say about covering Trump and the press? According to Religion News Service, Maer described the Trump-press dynamic as something he had never seen before in his career, characterizing it with the phrase "Never Saw Anything Like That."
Where was the interview published? The interview was published by Religion News Service, an outlet that covers the intersection of faith, culture, and public affairs.
Why is a veteran White House reporter's assessment significant? Reporters who have covered multiple administrations from inside the briefing room bring rare institutional perspective. When such a reporter describes one presidency's press relationship as categorically different, it reflects a judgment grounded in direct comparison across administrations.
How does this fit into broader coverage of Trump and the media? Maer's account adds to a growing body of firsthand reflections from White House correspondents about the Trump era's distinctive press dynamics, contributing to the historical record of that period in American journalism.
Reporting drawn from: Religion News Service. Washington DC Magazine provides original analysis, DC-specific context, and editorial perspective beyond the source material.This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by WDCM editorial staff. Washington DC Magazine is committed to accuracy, transparency, and editorial integrity. If you believe any information in this article requires correction, please contact editor@washingtondcmagazine.com.
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CAN I KICK IT? screens New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument, on Aug. 22. (Courtesy SHAOLIN JAZZ)
The live-cinema series CAN I KICK IT? returns to the National Mall this month with what its producers are calling the "Gangsters on the Mall" chapter of their free outdoor summer run. On Saturday, August 22, the SHAOLIN JAZZ production brings the 1991 crime classic New Jack City to the Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument for a night of film, music, and community under the DC summer sky.
What sets the event apart is the sound. As the film plays, DJ 2-Tone Jones builds an original score in real time, reimagining one of the most iconic crime movies of the ’90s through hip-hop, soul, funk, and more. It is less a movie screening than a live performance built around the film.
The details:
Film: New Jack City (1991), with a live soundtrack by DJ 2-Tone Jones
When: Saturday, August 22 — seating opens at 7:30 p.m. (bring lawn chairs and blankets); film begins at 8:30 p.m.
Where: Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument, Independence Ave SW & 15th St NW
A parking note from the organizers: expect road closures and restricted parking east of 14th Street NW due to a separate race event in the District. Roads west of 14th Street NW will be accessible and available for parking.
New Jack City is the second of three screenings in this year’s free CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series, which opened with Black Panther at Skyland Town Center and concludes with Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial on September 5. Produced by the Washington, DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, the series has presented more than 150 live cinematic experiences at venues across the country, from Lincoln Center to SXSW.
"I wanted to be able to tell good stories with substance and remove the ‘ego’ out of the art," said Andrew Huang during a recent interview. Now, he’s building his career at the intersection of discipline, creativity and innovation.
Andrew Huang, founder of New Place Studios. (Courtesy photo)
As a Chinese American, Huang was reared with a deep respect for hard work, consistency and excellence. He describes his childhood as "not so affluent" and later attended college to hone his passion for videography. "In college I tried to do something I loved, which was video, but along the way I knew that I had to find a job. And so I thought, ‘what was the low hanging fruit to get to that stable 9 to 5 job?,’" he stated.
Later in life, Huang found himself working for corporations where his creativity was often limited, eventually leading to burnout. "I worked in a corporation for a long time and there were a lot of missing pieces. I wanted to fill in gaps missing in corporate video production," said Huang.
He later described how his upbringing and a mindset of "survival" led him toward a corporate career. However, his desire for balance and authentic storytelling ultimately pushed him to take the entrepreneurial leap.
"I founded a new place where you can create video and film with ‘substance and style,’" said Huang. His desire for work-life balance and passion for storytelling naturally evolved into a small business based in Virginia. With the launch of New Place Studios, the entrepreneur quickly found himself reconnecting with the values that would become the foundation of everything he creates behind the camera.
Huang said being a business owner has allowed him to first embrace himself. While others may see video as simply capturing moments, he sees it as a way to preserve stories that inspire, connect and leave a lasting imprint.
By combining cinematic visuals with cutting-edge production techniques and a keen understanding of branding, Huang helps organizations and individuals communicate their vision with purpose. He said understanding a client’s "why" serves as the compass for delivering the services they need.
One benefit of working with a small business, he said, is that clients get to see the production process unfold through a micro lens while working with the same faces throughout the entire project. "The work feels personal," said Huang.
Huang does not regret leaving behind the flash-over-substance mentality and corporate hustle culture. That does not mean the Asian American entrepreneur has been without challenges in the industry. "It’s relatively hard to find other Asian American creatives or people who would want to work with me in the DMV," said Huang.
He identifies the industry culture in which everyone is trying to blend in, creatives may fear displaying their Asian identity and some feel pressure to adopt an American corporate persona. He also points to what he describes as a level of gatekeeping within the industry. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2024 statistics, Asian American and Pacific Islander entrepreneurs own more than 3 million businesses and employ 5.2 million people in the United States.
After tapping into organizations such as SCORE, which offers free small business mentorship, New Place Studios has become a trusted creative partner throughout the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia). The company produces a range of creative services, including commercials, corporate branding, documentaries, film, 2D animation, motion graphics and photography.
For Huang, entrepreneurship has become more than a departure from corporate life. It has given him the freedom to create with intention, build meaningful connections and tell stories that go beyond the surface.
The 2026 CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
For three Saturdays this summer, some of Washington’s most familiar public spaces will do something they rarely do after dark: fill up with blankets, lawn chairs, and the sound of a movie being scored live, in real time. CAN I KICK IT?, the traveling “live cinema” series produced by the DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, is bringing a free outdoor run to the city — pairing three era-defining films with an original soundtrack performed on the spot by DJ 2-Tone Jones.
The premise is what sets it apart from a normal screening in the park. Rather than simply pressing play, 2-Tone Jones builds a score as the film unfolds, pulling from hip-hop, soul, funk, jazz, rock, electronic music, and sounds from around the world. The result, the organizers say, is less a movie night than a one-time performance — the same film you know, wired to a soundtrack you have never heard and will not hear again. Guest DJs warm up the crowd starting at 7:30 PM before each 8:30 PM screening.
The 2026 outdoor schedule
All three events are free and open to the public.
Saturday, August 8 — Black Panther at Skyland Town Center. A pop-up marketplace and community activities kick off the evening; guest DJs at 7:30 PM, film at 8:30 PM. Marvel’s superhero epic gets a one-night-only live score in Southeast DC.
Saturday, August 22 — New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument. Seating begins at 7:30 PM; the film starts at 8:30 PM. The 1991 crime drama plays out at the foot of one of the country’s most recognizable landmarks.
Saturday, September 5 — Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial. Seating at 7:30 PM; film at 8:30 PM. The series closes with Brian De Palma’s crime saga against the backdrop of the Memorial, scored live from start to finish.
First up: Black Panther at Skyland Town Center on August 8. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
A DC company with a national footprint
SHAOLIN JAZZ describes itself as a Washington-based arts company working at the intersection of music, film, art, and culture, and CAN I KICK IT? is its signature production. According to the organizers, the series has staged more than 150 live cinematic experiences around the country — at performing arts centers, museums, festivals, and cultural institutions including Lincoln Center in New York, SXSW, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Republic Square in Austin, the Tacoma Armory, and The Cary Theater.
“CAN I KICK IT? has always been about creating a shared experience,” said Gerald Watson, co-founder of SHAOLIN JAZZ. “When you combine iconic films with live music in public spaces, something special happens. People aren’t just watching a movie — they’re experiencing it together. That’s what makes these nights so memorable.”
Cinema as a community event
The DC run lands as cities across the country look for new ways to activate public space through arts and culture — and this series is a straightforward pitch for how to do it: take a landmark everyone already knows, add a film everyone has an opinion about, and let a live soundtrack turn the evening into something neighbors experience shoulder to shoulder. Families, film buffs, and music fans are all invited, and admission won’t cost a thing.
The CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series runs August 8, August 22, and September 5. All events are free; check SHAOLIN JAZZ (shaolinjazz.com) for the latest details and any weather updates before heading out.
