Trump Bans Major News Outlets from Air Force One on Middle East Trip
White House press corps slams exclusion of AP, Reuters, and Bloomberg from Trump’s presidential plane as a blow to transparency and press freedom.
Watan-The association representing journalists working at the White House expressed deep concern on Monday over President Donald Trump’s administration’s decision to bar any reporters from major international news agencies from joining him aboard Air Force One during his Middle East trip.
No reporters from the Associated Press, Bloomberg, or Reuters were on board the aircraft—traditionally a space where U.S. presidents engage with the press corps during foreign visits.
In a statement, the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) said:“Their reporting reaches thousands of media outlets and millions of readers globally on a daily basis, ensuring equal access to presidential coverage for all.”
The statement continued:“This change is an affront to every American’s right to know what their highest elected official is doing—as quickly as possible.”
The White House is currently engaged in a legal dispute with the Associated Press after barring the agency from covering several “restricted” events. The conflict escalated when AP refused to comply with an executive order issued by Trump mandating the renaming of the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt did not respond to requests for comment.
