It doesn’t matter if Trump called on her or not or if she’s liked or not by other reporters..... It had everything to do with what ‘all the reporters agreed together’ and the WHCA put together to protect the reporters and the President etc during the briefings.
Th camera people are assigned to stand in the back or the sides as well, obviously to get the shots they need standing.
I will say if I knew I wasn’t popular among my peers I sure as heck would make certain not to break the protocal/rules ‘agreed on’, especially being a New News organization early on in the game....all the more if I knew I was “special” to the President.
If that club wanted me as a member, I wouldn’t want to be a part of it.