Since Donald Trump’s first presidential term began in 2016, his relationship with the press has remained contentious. News outlets that report critically on his administration, particularly those considered centrist or left-leaning, have frequently been labeled as “fake news.” In a recent escalation, the Trump administration prevented reporters from entering the Oval Office from The Associated Press (AP), one of the nation’s oldest and most widely respected news organizations. The move comes amid growing concerns over press access and transparency in the administration’s second term.
This is not the first time the administration has restricted media access. In 2017, reporters from CNN, The New York Times and Politico were excluded from press briefings. Critics noted that access often favored outlets with explicitly pro-Trump editorial perspectives. Over time, a pattern emerged in which challenging questions were met with hostility—and occasionally, removal.
According to AP, the most recent access restriction followed the outlet’s refusal to use new terminology introduced by the president through executive order, specifically, renaming the Gulf of Mexico. AP’s editorial standards, which are guided by global fact-based reporting norms, did not align with the requested change. As a result, reporters were excluded from a presidential signing ceremony, sparking legal action from AP. After AP went to a federal court about the matter, in early April, U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden ordered the White House to restore AP’s full access to cover presidential events.
AP reporter David Bauder has covered the silencing of the press from outside the Oval Office, providing insight on the situation to help uncover the truth about this problem while also showing an insider view of the Trump administration and its favoring of certain publications.
“The biggest change is the administration is paying a lot more attention to ‘friendly’ press who support the president’s point of view, and less to the traditional media,” Bauder said.
Though the administration has occasionally provided open access, the reporter emphasized that the White House’s media strategy favors outlets whose editorial stances align with the president’s.
“Like most White Houses, the administration is not a fan of people asking tough, critical questions. The president can expect much better treatment from outlets that are predisposed to support him and his policies. These outlets are also where many of the president’s base of supporters get their news, so it’s the easiest way to reach them,” Bauder said.
The conflict between the press and the executive branch raises more profound questions about the state of democracy. Press freedom advocates, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists, have cited an erosion of access and transparency as serious concerns. The U.S. has dropped in the World Press Freedom Index in recent years, with media experts noting increased political hostility toward journalists. In 2024, RSF ranked the U.S. 55 out of 180 countries, dropping 10 places from the previous year.
“Between the attitudes of the administration and his supporters, and the business problems that the journalism industry has faced over the past couple of decades, I think there’s a real concern about people losing the understanding of the important role journalism plays in a civil society,” Bauder said. “We’re not enemies of the people. We’re working for the people.”
That role of journalists is not just important — it is essential to how democracy operates. By monitoring those in office, reporting on policy and providing the public with verified facts, journalism helps sustain an informed electorate. The continuous flow of information allows democratic systems to function with transparency and trust.
“Governments spend a lot of money, and do a lot of things in the name of the people that elected them. The people have a right to know what the people they elected are doing,” Bauder said. “It’s a role that naturally causes friction – who likes people questioning their judgment or the job that they’re doing? – but the alternative is not a democracy.”
For student journalists reporting on issues of power, it is important to imagine themselves in the shoes of reporters who fight for the rights of the press every day.
“Ask questions, search through records and know your rights. Always keep curious. And don’t be intimidated. There will always be people who try to block you from what you’re doing, through bluster or worse. Don’t stand for it,” Bauder said.
While AP continues to report on the Trump administration from outside the Oval Office, the legal battle underscores the stakes of ongoing tensions between the press and political power. As this story continues to unfold, it reminds us of the fragile balance between public accountability and government control—one that extends from the highest levels of federal leadership down to the youngest student newsroom.
News: Local protestors rally weekly at Tesla dealership to oppose Department of Veteran Affairs cuts and support veterans
Article by Elsa Houtkooper
Every Saturday, protestors from throughout the Marin County community gather in front of the Tesla dealership in Corte Madera, protesting Elon Musk and his actions towards the veteran community. Protestors deliberately chose to protest outside of the Tesla store, as it is a visible and apparent symbol against Musk’s influence, which is supported by the Trump administration. There are 14,000 veterans in Marin County, many of whom are protected under the The Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT)Act, which provides United States Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) healthcare services and benefits, especially to those who were exposed to toxic substances during their service.
Roger Powelson, the organizer behind the protests, is a former Vietnam veteran. He started organizing the demonstrations when he first saw the changes made to the VA.
“Right now, they’ve [the VA] laid off 3,000 people in the VA. They’re saying that in June, they’re going to lay off 80,000 people,” Powelson said. “If that happens, it’s going to be a disaster, so we’re trying to stop that.”
The movement has grown into a powerful local voice advocating for veteran rights. As threats to VA funding persist, protesters remain determined to make their voices heard.For many veterans, the impact of these layoffs is deeply personal. Powelson suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, diabetes and high blood pressure, a lot of which was caused by his exposure to Agent Orange. Currently, he gets his healthcare done at Fort Miley and is scared of what will happen when there are more cuts.
“When I saw that after Trump got elected, they started talking about cutting the VA, I thought ‘That’s my healthcare. That’s my friends' healthcare. If it goes away, we’re all going to be in a world of hurt,’” Powelson said.
Jessica Copeland, Director of Wellness for the Tamalpais Union High School District, is also a supporter of the cause. The most recent protest she attended was the nationwide “Hands Off” protest at the San Rafael Community Center.
“It’s not just for our community, but for people outside the U.S. too. I wanted to show that we’re trying to fight for democracy,” Copeland said.
Due to the efforts of contributors like Copeland, the protests have grown significantly in numbers since the beginning, which was attended by only 15 people, eight of whom were veterans like Powelson.
“It started small; I wasn’t sure if it would succeed. But on April 5, there were over five million people nationwide and 5,000 people in San Rafael alone,” Powelson said.
The movement has grown into a powerful local voice advocating for veteran rights. As threats to VA funding persist, protesters remain determined to make their voices heard.
Opinion: Bad press strategy amplifies bad policy
Article by Beckett Tudor
Trump’s approval rating after the first 100 days is the lowest of any president in the past 80 years, according to an April ABC News poll. Many analysts attribute this to his convoluted and inconsistent tariff policy, blanket deportation style of immigration control, civil liability in a sexual abuse case, appointing of billionaire Elon Musk to his newly created Department of Government Efficiency and countless other legislative failures. While I would be inclined to agree that these are the failures of the administration as a whole, the abysmal approval rating could find its source in a much simpler place: the current White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt. Her narcissistic demeanor, condescending tone and lack of accountability crush the credibility of the country and irreversibly damage America’s reputation. While large-scale reform in the current administration is necessary for a brighter future, one of the most critical components to restore faith in the American government is a transparent and honest Press Secretary.
Following the leaking of private Signal chats between high-ranking military officials, which displayed confidential plans about Yemen attack patterns meant to be kept as secrets of the US Armed Forces, Leavitt and the entire White House press staff went into a propaganda frenzy. Taking clear inspiration from Roy Kohn’s three rules of winning, the staff made a commitment to never admitting defeat. Immediately following the leaks, Leavitt was unsurprisingly questioned by every major press organization in the nation. Her response? Not only was the leak not a big deal, but the country should hold gratitude for just how amazing the national security of the current administration has been.
“The American people should be grateful to these individuals and especially to President Trump for putting together such a competent and highly qualified team,” Leavitt said during an interview on Fox News following the White House press conference.
Evidently, this is a subpar way to respond to national security concerns. Denying the severity of the issue at hand and refusing to admit any mistake being made is pretty clearly reflective of an overall lack of accountability from the administration as a whole. However, the second part of her statement is a little more ominous for the future of the country. Saying that the American people should be thankful for the actions of the current president and his administration is a rather blatantly fascist statement. No government of any merit should have to tell its citizens that it is doing a good job, and certainly should not have to enforce the idea that they should feel grateful for the privilege of having low-quality civil servants.
For students and younger individuals in particular, a more transparent and accountable Press Secretary is of critical importance. These moments of failure aren’t just broadcast on national news across multiple channels — they’re clipped and become viral across social media. The video of Leavitt condescendingly explaining tariffs to an Associated Press reporter has 750,000 likes just on one post on TikTok, with raging comments saying things like “She is a narcissist and gaslighting everyone,” and “It’s insulting that she can’t answer a question without being insulting.” The White House needs to recognize the cascading impact of each word said at these press conferences. They are not just heard once, they are heard countless times over weeks as they are replayed on social media.
While this may seem like a daunting problem, you can make an impact to help resolve this issue. On the personal level, make sure you fact-check any claims that you see made online, even if they seem to be coming from a credible White House source. It has been so consistently demonstrated that Karoline Leavitt and the White House press staff do not have the American people’s best interests at heart, and thus, it must be up to you to check your own information. But not all of this burden can be put on the individual. The government must take action too. Having a Press Secretary competent and kind enough to respond with dignity to tough questions is more important than ever, especially with an administration already struggling enough with poor policy planning.