AFP statement on AP White House reporters being barred from coverage
Agence France-Presse (AFP) is concerned by the White House’s decision to bar Associated Press reporters from events in the Oval Office and from Air Force One in apparent retaliation for the AP not adopting government-approved language in their news reporting.
The First Amendment of the US Constitution makes clear that the government cannot decide how news organizations report the news and it has no authority over editorial decisions made by independent news media.
AFP strongly stands by our colleagues at the Associated Press, a respected and independent international news organization, and we respectfully call on the White House to rescind its decision.