The US Treasury Department has barred several reporters from major news outlets from covering this week’s G20 finance meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, media organizations said over the weekend.
The United States holds the rotating G20 presidency this year, and the Treasury Department is managing access to these talks that bring together finance ministers and central bankers from major economies.
But in an unusual move, certain reporters from The New York Times, Bloomberg News and The Wall Street Journal were not granted credentials, according to the media outlets and news reports.
Bloomberg News said Sunday that its reporters based in the United States, France, Italy, Japan and China were all denied access, and that the Treasury offered no explanation for rejecting its numerous accreditation requests.
Denying access to the meeting “undermines media freedom and public accountability,” a Bloomberg News spokesperson said. “We will continue to advocate for full press access while reporting fairly and accurately on proceedings.”
The New York Times reported Saturday that its economic policy reporter was excluded despite years of experience covering such gatherings, although its Berlin bureau chief was granted credentials.
A Times spokesperson called the rejection “not just another disturbing effort by the administration to undermine independent journalism, but a blatant attempt to evade public scrutiny.”
US President Donald Trump’s administration has tightened press access in his second term, with the Defense Department designating its press office a classified space among other actions.
“With the war in Iran, sanctions, the bond markets, and inflation on the agenda for the G-20 finance ministers, the stakes of this gathering are significant for the global economy and the American people,” the Times’ spokesperson added.
A Treasury spokesperson said the meeting would welcome nearly 300 media representatives from around a dozen countries.
“Members of the media will have a high level of access to policymakers throughout the event, and with that access comes a responsibility to report factual information consistent with established journalistic standards,” the official said.
Coverage should not prioritize “clicks, engagement, or sensationalism,” the spokesperson said.
The Wall Street Journal did not respond to queries for comment about reports that its journalists were barred.
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