The association representing journalists assigned to the White House expressed concern on Monday over the Trump administration’s decision to exclude wire service news reporters from accompanying the president on Air Force One to the Middle East.
Representatives from The Associated Press, Bloomberg, or Reuters were absent from the flight, which typically provides opportunities for the president to address inquiries from the traveling press.
“Their reports are quickly disseminated to numerous news outlets and millions of readers globally each day, ensuring equal access to coverage of the presidency,” stated the White House Correspondents’ Association. “This alteration disservices every American who has a right to swiftly understand the actions of their highest elected official.”
The White House has been fighting in court with the AP, after the news service was blocked from covering smaller “pool” events when it decided not to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America, as Trump had called for in an executive order.
In response to a ruling in that case, the White House instituted a new media policy that lumped the wire services in with print reporters in a rotation for space on Air Force One or Oval Office events. A Reuters reporter accompanied the president when he traveled to Pope Francis’ funeral.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt did not return messages seeking comment.
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