Russian State Media Reporter Gains Unauthorized Access to Trump-Zelensky Meeting

A Shocking Breach in the Oval Office

In a surprising turn of events, a reporter from Russian state media managed to gain entry into the Oval Office during a high-stakes meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday.

While major news agencies such as the Associated Press and Reuters were denied access, a member of Tass, Russia’s state-run news agency, was spotted inside the room. Tass has been widely criticized for pushing Kremlin propaganda, including narratives about Russia’s “liberation” of Ukraine.

How Did This Happen?

A White House official confirmed to Politico that Tass was “not on the approved list of media” scheduled for the press pool that day.

"As soon as it came to the attention of press office staff that he was in the Oval, he was escorted out by the Press Secretary," the official stated.

However, the White House did not clarify how the reporter was able to bypass security measures and enter the meeting room.

Media Access Controversy at the White House

This incident comes amid growing concerns over press restrictions under the Trump administration. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt recently announced that the administration would directly control which journalists are allowed to cover the president, sidelining the White House Correspondents’ Association.

The controversy escalated after the White House revoked Associated Press credentials, reportedly due to the outlet’s refusal to use the term "Gulf of America" instead of the internationally recognized "Gulf of Mexico."