Trump administration limits media access, sparks press freedom fears
The Donald Trump administration is restricting access to the White House for AP and Reuters, raising concerns about press freedom, reports "The New York Times".
As covered by "The New York Times", such actions might endanger press freedom in the United States. The newspaper highlights that although the United States is not Russia, these practices are reminiscent of actions by the Kremlin.
New rules for access to the president
White House spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, stated that access to the president is a privilege, not a right. The Trump administration aims to include smaller media outlets, resulting in the exclusion of larger agencies. "The New York Times" notes that AP and Reuters have been replaced by conservative stations Newsmax and The Blaze.
The White House's decision was met with criticism from the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA), which accuses the administration of attacking press independence. "This move tears at the independence of a free press in the United States," the newspaper notes, recalling that similar practices were used in Russia under Putin's rule.
Even Fox News, usually at odds with liberal media, defended AP and Reuters. "The New York Times" recalls that, in the past, media outlets supported each other across divides when attempts were made to limit access to power.
