PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Associated Press faced another rejection in its bid to join the White House press pool by President Donald Trump’s team.
After the latest denial, AP journalists left their press hotel before dawn, traveling toward Mar-a-Lago at 6:39 a.m. They remained in the parking lot as the sun rose, observing the morning light shift over Palm Beach.
At 8:38 a.m., Trump’s motorcade departed Mar-a-Lago en route to Trump International Golf Club. Journalists could not get a clear view of him but noted he was wearing a red hat and a white shirt. The AP was left behind.
Trump Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt maintains that the AP is being denied because of their failure to report factually on the administration and for their refusal to recognize the Gulf of Mexico. She reminded reporters that being part of the press pool was a privilege not a right.
As Trump keeps a low public profile in Florida, restrictions on media access remain a point of contention.