The U.S. Treasury Department has come under scrutiny after denying press credentials to journalists from several major news organizations seeking to cover the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting in Asheville, North Carolina.
Reporters from The New York Times, Bloomberg News and The Wall Street Journal were among those who were not granted access. The Treasury has not publicly explained the individual decisions. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, however, said the exclusions had nothing to do with the journalists’ points of view.
The decision has triggered criticism from affected media organizations. The New York Times argued that restricting access to American journalists at an important international economic meeting limits public scrutiny. Bloomberg also said that denying access undermines media freedom and accountability.
The G20 meeting is particularly significant this year because finance ministers and central bank officials are discussing global economic growth, trade imbalances, sovereign debt, supply chains and other major financial issues. U.S. officials are also expected to discuss sanctions related to Iran.
The controversy has therefore become a major U.S. trending story, with journalists and press-freedom advocates watching closely for further explanations from the Treasury Department.
