- National Press Club Statement on AP Reporter Blocked From The Oval Office
Washington, DC, February 14, 2025 — National Press Club President Mike Balsamo today issued the following statement after the White House blocked an Associated Press reporter from attending an executive order signing in the Oval Office:
“Today’s action by the White House is a direct attack on press freedom. No administration gets to decide how journalists do their jobs. The role of a free press is not to serve as an extension of any administration.
Barring a journalist from an official event because their newsroom refuses to conform to government-imposed language is more than an attack on one reporter or outlet — it is an assault on the First Amendment and the public’s right to know. The role of the press is not to take orders from the government but rather to hold the government accountable.
We call on the White House to immediately reverse course and recommit to respecting the role of an independent press in a democracy. Anything less sets a dangerous precedent and erodes the fundamental values of a free society.”
- Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world’s leading professional organization for journalists. Its 2,500 members represent nearly every major journalism organization. The Club and its Press Freedom Center are leading voices for press freedom matters in the U.S. and worldwide.
Source: National Press Club
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