Government and PoliticsThe American Presidency |
Which U.S. president held the first press conference? |
President Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924) was the first president to routinely assemble the press to answer questions for the public. On March 15, 1913, shortly after his inauguration, he called the first presidential press conference. More than 100 news reporters attended the event. Decades later, President John F. Kennedy (1917–1963) became known for his frequent use of the televised press conference to directly communicate with Americans.