The U.S. Treasury Department denied credentials to individual reporters from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg News for the G20 finance ministers meeting in Asheville, North Carolina on August 29–30, 2026, barring some of the nation’s most prominent financial journalists from covering a summit of the world’s largest economies.
Among those denied access was Alan Rappeport, a New York Times reporter who has covered the Treasury Department and international finance meetings since 2017. Matt Grossman, an economics reporter for The Wall Street Journal, was also denied a credential. The Treasury issued no public statement explaining the denials.
Bloomberg News said the denial of access “undermines media freedom and public accountability.” The Wall Street Journal declined to comment on the credential denials, and the Treasury Department did not respond to requests for clarification on its decision-making process.
The credential denials mark the latest instance of the Trump administration restricting media access to high-level government events. In 2025, the Pentagon announced new press restrictions requiring journalists to be escorted by authorized Defense Department personnel when accessing the building, and the White House limited reporters’ access to certain press offices. Federal courts have struck down parts of the Pentagon’s policy, but restrictions have persisted.
The Treasury’s decision comes as the administration has pursued a narrower press policy across multiple agencies. In February 2025, the White House took control of the presidential press pool from an independent association of news organizations. The administration has also restricted foreign reporters’ entry into the United States, limiting stays to 240 days under new visa rules announced in July 2026, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
The G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting in Asheville addressed global economic policy, growth imbalances, and U.S. sanctions on Iran. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was scheduled to host the gathering of financial leaders from the world’s 20 largest economies. The Treasury had announced on August 5 that media credentials were available for journalists covering the event, with applications due by August 12.
Sources
- The New York Times — reported that specific reporters from the Times, Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg were denied G20 credentials, including Alan Rappeport; Treasury issued no explanation.
- Bloomberg News — confirmed credential denials and stated that denial of access “undermines media freedom and public accountability.”
- The Washington Post — described the denial as the latest example of Trump administration restrictions on media access.
- Committee to Protect Journalists — documented July 2026 restrictions limiting foreign reporters’ U.S. entry to 240 days.
- U.S. Department of the Treasury — announced media credentialing process on August 5, 2026 for the G20 Finance Ministerial.
