Treasury Bars Reporters From NYT, WSJ, Bloomberg at G20 Meeting

The U.S. Treasury Department has denied press credentials to reporters from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg News for the Group of 20 finance ministers meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, an unprecedented move that has drawn sharp criticism from the affected outlets. The decision, which the Treasury has not publicly explained, comes as the U.S. hosts the gathering of the world's top economic officials amid significant global market volatility and the ongoing conflict with Iran.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is co-hosting the event with Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh, addressed the issue in an interview with the Associated Press on Sunday, August 30. He stated that the decision "has nothing to do with point of view." The meeting, which began on Sunday and runs through Tuesday, is expected to draw finance ministers, central bank governors, and senior officials from the world's largest economies. The Treasury has said it anticipates welcoming more than 200 journalists from dozens of nations.

Among those denied access was New York Times reporter Alan Rappeport, who has covered the Treasury Department and such meetings since 2017. However,...