(WASHINGTON)–PEN America released the following statement Friday amid reports that the Trump administration withheld at least two press pool reports from news outlets through its mailing list. The White House omitted information about the cancellation of a press conference with the Israeli prime minister and the Associated Press not being allowed to join the press pool. A judge this week ordered the White House to lift the AP’s access restrictions, but paused implementing the ruling until this weekend to give time for the administration to appeal.
The press pool is a small, rotating group of reporters who cover events where space or access is limited — such as Oval Office meetings or aboard Air Force One — and who then share their observations and notes with the broader press corps. Many news outlets, particularly smaller and more local outlets, rely on the White House mailing list for this information.
“This is a blatant effort to keep the public in the dark by blocking basic facts about the administration’s actions,” said Tim Richardson, Journalism and Disinformation Program director at PEN America. “The government’s censoring of pool reports to suppress information it deems unflattering is a dangerous and hypocritical breach of its supposed commitment to transparency and opposition to censorship. In a healthy democracy, the government can’t trample on the role of a free and independent press or decide what information the public is allowed to access. The White House must end this censorship immediately and restore the public’s right to know.”
About PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.
Contact: Suzanne Trimel, STrimel@PEN.org, (201) 247-5057