Reuters criticizes Trump’s ban of Associated Press reporters in Oval Office, Air Force One

Reuters on Saturday objected to the restrictions placed on media outlets by the White House, after the Trump administration earlier this week barred the Associated Press from key spaces such as the Oval Office and Air Force One.

“Reuters stands with the Associated Press and other media organizations in objecting to coverage restrictions imposed by the White House on the AP, because of the AP’s independent editorial decisions,” read a statement from the Reuters Press Team on X.

“Reuters believes that journalists should be free to report the news reliably, independently, and without harassment or harm, wherever they are, including in the United States,” it continued.

The comment comes after the White House’s decision earlier this week to ban all AP reporters from the Oval Office and Air Force One, after the news outlet refused to recognize the Trump administration’s decision to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

“The Associated Press continues to ignore the lawful geographic name change of the Gulf of America. This decision is not just divisive, but it also exposes the Associated Press’ commitment to misinformation,” read a comment on X posted Friday the White House Deputy Chief of Staff and Cabinet Secretary Taylor Budowich.

“While their right to irresponsible and dishonest reporting is protected by the First Amendment, it does not ensure their privilege of unfettered access to limited spaces, like the Oval Office and Air Force One.”

Budowich added that the space occupied by the AP in the Oval Office and other limited spaces will be opened up to other reporters, though AP journalists and photographers can retain their credentials to the White House complex.

The White House Correspondents Association, which represents journalists who cover the U.S. president, criticized the decision, calling it “unacceptable” and saying it stands with the AP.

“The White House cannot dictate how news organizations report the news, nor should it penalize working journalists because it is unhappy with their editors’ decisions,” Eugene Daniels, president of the WHCA, said in a statement earlier this week. “The move by the administration to bar a reporter from The Associated Press from an official event open to news coverage today is unacceptable.”

The AP, a global news outlet that started more than a century ago in 1846, has been a part of the 13-person White House press pool that regularly reports on the president’s activities.