Kremlin’s TASS In: AP, Reuters Out
A free press is under attack. Russian propaganda is filling the void.
In yet another alarming breach of transparency, Russian state media outlet TASS was recently granted access to the Oval Office during a high-profile meeting—while major U.S. and international news organizations like Reuters and the Associated Press were shut out.
This isn’t just bad optics. It’s a continuation of a disturbing pattern in which Trump shields himself from independent scrutiny while cozying up to authoritarian-controlled propaganda outlets. If democracy dies in darkness, Trump is making sure to pull the plug on America’s free press while giving Russian state media front-row access.
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Déjà Vu: Trump’s 2017 Oval Office Scandal
We’ve seen this movie before, and we know how it ends.
In 2017, during Trump’s first term, he banned all U.S. media from a closed-door Oval Office meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. The only photographer allowed? A representative from TASS, a Kremlin-controlled news agency.
The American public only learned about this secretive meeting because TASS published the photos. Worse, reports later revealed that Trump had recklessly shared highly classified intelligence with Russian officials, intelligence that came from a close U.S. ally and was not meant to be disclosed.
That was a major national security breach. And yet, Trump is doing it again in 2025, handing Putin’s state media more Oval Office access than trusted American journalists.
Trump’s War on the Free Press And His Love Affair with Propaganda
The latest TASS incident isn’t just an oversight. It fits into Trump’s broader authoritarian strategy of controlling media narratives, which includes:
🔴 Banning independent journalists – CNN, The New York Times, and The Washington Post were routinely barred from White House briefings during his first term. Now, Reuters and AP are getting the same treatment.
🔴 Elevating state-controlled and far-right media – Trump lavishes access on propaganda outlets, whether it’s TASS or his personal echo chambers like Newsmax, OANN, and Fox News.
🔴 Demonizing the press as ‘the enemy of the people’ – By delegitimizing independent journalism, Trump clears the way for disinformation, authoritarianism, and unchecked power.
This isn’t about fairness or journalistic integrity; it’s about eroding democracy itself.
See our reporting on Trump’s attacks on the free press here:
Why This Matters: The National Security Nightmare
This isn’t just an attack on press freedom. It’s a severe national security threat.
Who benefits when Russian media gets Oval Office access? – TASS is not an independent news organization. It is a Kremlin-controlled mouthpiece, one that serves Putin’s geopolitical interests, not truth or journalistic ethics.
What classified information is at risk? – In 2017, Trump handed over sensitive intelligence in an off-the-books Oval Office meeting. What’s stopping him from doing it again?
Is this part of a broader influence campaign? – The repeated access given to Russian media raises serious questions: Why does the Kremlin keep getting VIP treatment? What is Trump getting in return?
If Russian state media is given special access to the White House, who’s next? Will Trump extend the same privilege to China’s state-controlled Xinhua, Saudi Arabia’s Al Arabiya, or Hungary’s pro-Orbán media? If we don’t push back now, foreign propaganda could gain an even stronger foothold in shaping America’s political future.
See our reporting on Trump and the Kremlin here:
What Happens Next?
With another Trump term in full swing, the question remains: Will this trend continue, and what can be done to ensure press freedom and transparency?
The Future of U.S. Press Freedom Under Trump
If Trump continues blacklisting independent media, what does that mean for future administrations? Will this become the new normal, where U.S. presidents can hand-pick friendly media and shut out everyone else? Could we see a more extreme crackdown on press freedoms, like revoking press credentials or criminalizing journalists who challenge him?
What Does This Mean for the 2026 Midterms and 2028 Election?
Could selective media access help manipulate political narratives in Trump’s favor leading into 2026 and 2028? Will he only allow access to pro-Trump, far-right outlets that spread misinformation while banning real journalists? How will this impact public trust in election coverage?
This isn’t just about access—it’s about controlling the story. If Trump continues picking his own media allies while shutting out independent journalists, how will voters get accurate, unfiltered information ahead of 2026 and 2028? The press must fight back now before Trump and his enablers rewrite reality.
How We Fight Back: Defending the Free Press
Trump wants you to be distracted. Don’t be. Here’s what you can do:
Support independent journalism – Subscribe to and fund media outlets that prioritize facts, not propaganda.
Call your representatives – Demand Congressional investigations into Trump’s selective press access.
Spread the word – Share this article. Talk about it. Shine a light where Trump wants darkness.
Final Thoughts: Democracy Demands Transparency
When a U.S. president grants more access to Russian state media than to American journalists, something is deeply wrong.
This is about more than Trump’s ego. It’s about power, propaganda, and a fundamental assault on democracy.
The free press isn’t a privilege; it’s a pillar of democracy. And we must fight to protect it.
The question isn’t just what Trump is doing—it’s what we, as a democracy, are willing to tolerate. If we don’t fight back against media suppression now, we may not have a free press left to fight for in 2026, 2028, or beyond.
Bibliography:
Russian state-media reporter gains access, but is later removed from Trump-Zelenskiy meeting - Reuters, February 28, 2025
Russian state media briefly enters Oval Office during Zelenskyy meeting - POLITICO, February 28, 2025
Trump Bans AP And Reuters But Invites Russian State Media To Zelenskyy Meeting - The Daily with Sara Jones, February 28, 2025
It Matters Who Asks the Questions - The Atlantic, February 28, 2025
Second Trump Term Likely to Bring New Friction With Spy Agencies - WSJ, September 7, 2024
Trump Set to Soon Get Classified Briefings Again - TIME, November 9, 2024
We’re a hot minute from being able to stop this takeover. Tick tick tick
This is a crime against the country! He's he immune for that too????????