After AP, White House restricts Reuters, Bloomberg access to Trump
What's the story
The Donald Trump administration has revised its policy on press access, limiting wire services like Reuters and Bloomberg News.
The White House announced on Tuesday that these agencies will no longer have a customary seat in the exclusive group of reporters who cover President Trump.
Instead, they will be part of a larger rotation that includes approximately 30 other newspapers and print outlets.
Policy change
New policy alters wire services' role in presidential coverage
For decades, the wires AP, Reuters and Bloomberg were each given access to all presidential engagements in smaller settings such as the Oval Office.
Whereas journalists representing major newspapers, magazines, and websites composing the "print" pool rotation were allowed entry approximately once a month.
With the reassignment, the White House print rotation would expand to 34 spots from the current 31.
Reporting impact
Wire services' role in real-time reporting emphasized
This move came after the Associated Press's victory in a lawsuit challenging its exclusion from the press pool.
Last Tuesday, judge Trevor McFadden reinstated the Associated Press to the press pool.
The wire had been excluded for refusing to change its Stylebook to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as "Gulf of America" following Trump's official renaming on January 20.
Agency reactions
Reuters and AP respond to White House's decision
After AP was removed, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said her team would determine "who gets to enjoy the very privileged and limited access in spaces such as Air Force One and Oval Office."
Commenting on the latest move, a Reuters spokesperson said, "Any steps by the US government to limit access to the president threaten that principle, both for the public and the world's media."
Meanwhile, AP spokesperson Lauren Easton said it was a "grave disservice" to Americans.