AP’s Back-Channel Press

On Wednesday, Julie Pace boarded a plane to Florida for a high-stakes meeting. The executive editor of the Associated Press had secured an audience with Susie Wiles, Donald Trump’s White House chief of staff, to discuss the administration’s unprecedented decision to bar AP journalists from official events. The meeting, held later in the day, was an opportunity for the AP to press its case directly to the White House.

One week prior, the White House blocked the AP over its refusal to call the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America,” a manufactured controversy that Trump has used to test his ability to control the media. Since then, all efforts to reverse the White House’s decision have been to no avail, leaving the global wire service in a precarious position.

The New York Times, Reuters, and a small handful of other outlets have publicly protested the White House’s move alongside the AP. But, notably, most news organizations have decided against issuing public expressions of support. That’s because behind the scenes, news outlets have been following the White House Correspondents Association’s lead. Rather than engaging in a public battle with the White House, the WHCA has opted for quiet diplomacy, believing that a private approach stands the best chance of restoring the AP’s access.

Indeed, 40 news organizations have signed onto a confidential letter circulated by the White House Correspondents’ Association supporting the AP. Signatories include CNN, ABC News, NBC News, CBS News, NPR, Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, Axios, Semafor, The Washington Post, TIME, Punchbowl, and the Guardian, among many others. Also included were the pro-Trump channels Fox News and Newsmax. “It’s rare for this level of solidarity,” a person familiar with the effort told me.