Key facts
- The U.S. Treasury Department has blocked certain journalists from covering a G20 finance ministers' meeting in Asheville, North Carolina.
- Reporters from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg News were denied credentials.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated the decision was not based on journalistic point of view.
- The New York Times called the exclusion a "blatant attempt to evade public scrutiny" and an "assault on press freedoms."
- Bloomberg News stated the denial "undermines media freedom and public accountability."
The U.S. Treasury Department has denied credentials to several journalists from prominent news organizations, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg News, preventing them from covering a Group of 20 finance ministers' meeting in Asheville, North Carolina. This action is the latest in a series of measures by the Trump administration that have been criticized for restricting media access.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the decision to deny credentials had "nothing to do with point of view." However, The New York Times described the exclusion of its reporters as a "disturbing effort by the administration to undermine independent journalism" and a "blatant attempt to evade public scrutiny." The newspaper highlighted the significant global economic issues on the G20 agenda, such as the war in Iran, sanctions, bond markets, and inflation, arguing that excluding reporters is a "disservice to the public and an assault on press freedoms."
Bloomberg News also reported that "numerous" journalists from its agency, including international staff, had their accreditation requests rejected, stating that the denial "undermines media freedom and public accountability." The Wall Street Journal declined to comment on the matter.
The G20 meeting, hosted by Bessent, includes finance ministers, central bank governors, and senior officials from the world's leading economies. This year's summit for heads of state is scheduled to be held in December at Trump's golf club in Doral, Florida. The report notes a pattern of escalating tensions between the U.S. media and the Trump administration, citing previous instances such as the Defense Department declaring its press office a classified space and the Associated Press suing over White House press pool access.