Evan Vucci , the Associated Press photojournalist who captured the now-iconic image of a bloodied President Donald Trump raising his fist after surviving an assassination attempt, has been removed from the White House press pool , along with his AP colleagues. The move effectively bars Vucci from key areas such as the Oval Office and Air Force One, but he still retains access to the White House briefing room.
The decision has sparked controversy and debate over press freedoms, with both the White House and AP engaged in an ongoing legal battle over the scope and justification of the ban.
Partial Ban, Not Total Expulsion
Social media erupted on March 27 with claims that Vucci had been "banned from Trump press rooms" following his photo’s viral spread. A Politico report later confirmed that while Vucci and the AP were ejected from the highly exclusive press pool — a small group of reporters and photographers who travel closely with the president — they still retain general media access, including seats in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room.
The White House, in a court filing, insisted that AP continues to enjoy “general media access” available to all credentialed reporters. However, AP disputed this in its own lawsuit filed in February, arguing that its journalists have been turned away from events typically open to the wider press corps.
The ' Gulf of Mexico ' Trigger
The dispute escalated after the White House warned the AP in February that it would be barred from covering an executive order signing unless it referred to the "Gulf of Mexico" as the "Gulf of America" — the name change ordered by President Trump. AP refused, citing its editorial standards as a global news agency.
Soon after, senior White House official Taylor Budowich publicly confirmed that AP reporters would no longer be granted access to limited-capacity locations, including the Oval Office and Air Force One. According to both the AP and the White House’s own court filings, Trump personally ordered the ban.
Vucci’s Photo and Its Fallout
Vucci’s photograph of Trump, taken in the immediate aftermath of the failed assassination attempt during a 2024 campaign rally, became one of the defining images of the Trump presidency . It has since appeared on flags, campaign merchandise, and even as a backdrop during congressional hearings.
Despite his exclusion from the press pool, Vucci continues to photograph events from the Brady Briefing Room. AP’s newsroom published photos taken by Vucci as recently as April 1, showing White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressing the press.
Dispute Over Access Continues
While the White House maintains that AP retains access equivalent to other credentialed reporters, AP argues that its journalists are being selectively blocked even from broader press events that are supposed to be open to all.
“The net result is that the AP’s press credentials now provide its journalists less access to the White House than the same press credentials provide to all other members of the White House press corps,” AP stated in court documents.
The White House Correspondents’ Association, which traditionally manages seating in the briefing room, has supported the AP. In response, the Trump administration has threatened to take control of the seating chart, raising further concerns about editorial independence and access.
A Broader Fight
AP’s lawsuit argues that the Trump administration’s move is retaliatory and poses a threat to press freedom . “Allowing such government control and retaliation to stand is a threat to every American’s freedom,” the complaint reads.
The White House disagrees, saying pool access is a discretionary privilege, not a constitutional right.
As of now, Evan Vucci remains a credentialed journalist with limited access to the White House — but locked out of the inner circle that once defined his beat.
The decision has sparked controversy and debate over press freedoms, with both the White House and AP engaged in an ongoing legal battle over the scope and justification of the ban.
Partial Ban, Not Total Expulsion
Social media erupted on March 27 with claims that Vucci had been "banned from Trump press rooms" following his photo’s viral spread. A Politico report later confirmed that while Vucci and the AP were ejected from the highly exclusive press pool — a small group of reporters and photographers who travel closely with the president — they still retain general media access, including seats in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room.
The White House, in a court filing, insisted that AP continues to enjoy “general media access” available to all credentialed reporters. However, AP disputed this in its own lawsuit filed in February, arguing that its journalists have been turned away from events typically open to the wider press corps.
The ' Gulf of Mexico ' Trigger
The dispute escalated after the White House warned the AP in February that it would be barred from covering an executive order signing unless it referred to the "Gulf of Mexico" as the "Gulf of America" — the name change ordered by President Trump. AP refused, citing its editorial standards as a global news agency.
Soon after, senior White House official Taylor Budowich publicly confirmed that AP reporters would no longer be granted access to limited-capacity locations, including the Oval Office and Air Force One. According to both the AP and the White House’s own court filings, Trump personally ordered the ban.
Vucci’s Photo and Its Fallout
Vucci’s photograph of Trump, taken in the immediate aftermath of the failed assassination attempt during a 2024 campaign rally, became one of the defining images of the Trump presidency . It has since appeared on flags, campaign merchandise, and even as a backdrop during congressional hearings.
Despite his exclusion from the press pool, Vucci continues to photograph events from the Brady Briefing Room. AP’s newsroom published photos taken by Vucci as recently as April 1, showing White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressing the press.
Dispute Over Access Continues
While the White House maintains that AP retains access equivalent to other credentialed reporters, AP argues that its journalists are being selectively blocked even from broader press events that are supposed to be open to all.
“The net result is that the AP’s press credentials now provide its journalists less access to the White House than the same press credentials provide to all other members of the White House press corps,” AP stated in court documents.
The White House Correspondents’ Association, which traditionally manages seating in the briefing room, has supported the AP. In response, the Trump administration has threatened to take control of the seating chart, raising further concerns about editorial independence and access.
A Broader Fight
AP’s lawsuit argues that the Trump administration’s move is retaliatory and poses a threat to press freedom . “Allowing such government control and retaliation to stand is a threat to every American’s freedom,” the complaint reads.
The White House disagrees, saying pool access is a discretionary privilege, not a constitutional right.
As of now, Evan Vucci remains a credentialed journalist with limited access to the White House — but locked out of the inner circle that once defined his beat.
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