WASHINGTON — The official White House mobile app rose to the top of Apple’s News category this week and moved into the App Store’s overall Top 20, as the Trump administration expands its effort to communicate directly with the public through government-run digital platforms.
The White House said the app ranked No. 1 in the News category as of Sept. 22 and had previously climbed as high as No. 4 among all apps following its launch in March. The administration also said the app has been downloaded more than two million times across Apple’s App Store and Google Play.
The rise comes amid an escalating dispute between the White House and several major news organizations over press access.
The Trump administration recently revoked White House credentials for CNN, MS NOW and Politico, saying the organizations had engaged in false reporting. The three outlets have challenged the action in federal court, arguing that the move violates constitutional protections for the press. Other major news organizations subsequently withheld some pool coverage in solidarity with the barred outlets.
Against that backdrop, the White House has promoted its app as a way for users to receive administration news, speeches, photos, videos and notifications without relying on traditional news organizations.
The administration also recently launched TrumpTV, a 24-hour streaming service carrying speeches, remarks and other White House video content. The service is available through the White House website, YouTube and the official app.
The White House described the app’s ranking as evidence of growing demand for direct access to administration information.