1. United States
2. Md.
3. Letter

Trump’s Exclusion of the Press on Foreign Trip Is an Alarming Attack on Democracy I’m writing to express my alarm at a deeply troubling and historic breach of democratic norms: for the first time in modern American history, the White House barred all major wire service journalists—including the Associated Press, Reuters, and Bloomberg—from traveling aboard Air Force One on a major overseas trip. This was not a routine flight. It was the first foreign trip of President Trump’s second term—a visit that involved high-level diplomatic engagements, international weapons and tech agreements, and direct financial negotiations involving the President’s own family and business interests. The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) formally condemned this exclusion on May 12, 2025, calling it “unprecedented” and “a direct threat to the public’s right to know.” Source: WHCA Statement, May 12, 2025 (https://whca.press/2025/05/12/statement-on-the-unprecedented-exclusion-of-wires-on-international-trip/) This act of deliberate press suppression is not just a break from tradition—it’s a warning sign. Authoritarian governments restrict independent journalism precisely when they have something to hide. As I have previously written to your office, this trip involved serious and credible concerns about: • Violations of the Emoluments Clause stemming from Trump’s acceptance of a $400M jet from Qatar; • Undisclosed business deals between the Trump Organization and foreign state-backed investors; • Unchecked crypto, semiconductor, and defense contracts negotiated without oversight; • Foreign influence and potential national security risks involving Elon Musk’s Starlink deal with Saudi Arabia. These are not isolated scandals. The decision to black out the press entirely suggests a coordinated attempt to avoid documentation and accountability. Congress must act now to: • Launch a formal investigation into the suppression of press access during official presidential travel; • Pass legislation codifying media access rights on foreign trips involving the President; • Subpoena relevant communications and planning documents to determine whether this exclusion was coordinated with foreign interests or intended to shield illicit dealings. Democracy cannot function without a free and independent press. If presidents can exile reporters at will, conceal international engagements, and operate in the shadows with global oligarchs, we’ve already lost the most essential check on power.