RCFP statement on White House blocking AP journalists from events

On Tuesday, the Associated Press reported that two of its journalists had been blocked from two events at the White House. On Wednesday, the White House again prohibited an Associated Press text reporter from attending one of its events.

Bruce D. Brown, president of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, made the following statement:

“The White House obviously does not have a legitimate basis for barring Associated Press reporters from events yesterday and today. The decision to block these journalists doesn’t just affect one news organization, but rather the millions of people in the U.S. and around the world who rely on its reporting for independent information about important issues.”

Relevant Background

In 2009, Washington, D.C., bureau chiefs at the major broadcasters rallied around Fox News when the White House under President Barack Obama tried to exclude the news outlet from the press pool interviewing Kenneth Feinberg, then-special master for executive compensation for the Troubled Asset Relief Program at the Treasury Department.

Added Brown: “Should another journalist or news organization be singled out, the press pool should stand in solidarity much like it did on Fox’s behalf in 2009 and show that it will stick together on something so basic as protecting access to official events.”  

The Reporters Committee regularly files friend-of-the-court briefs and its attorneys represent journalists and news organizations pro bono in court cases that involve First Amendment freedoms, the newsgathering rights of journalists and access to public information. Stay up-to-date on our work by signing up for our newsletters and following us on Bluesky, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and X.