🔴 Redshift: The AP's White House Reckoning

Mentioned in this edition: Donald Trump, Maria Bartiromo, Elon Musk, Jeremy Boreing, Dan Bongino, Rick Wilson, Mel Gibson, Megyn Kelly, Jesse Waters, Bill Gates, Hillary Clinton, and more.

Good morning. The White House is picking a fight with The Associated Press, which has, in recent years, become a highly partisan left-leaning outlet. So much for neutrality. Also, some conservative media outlets are becoming more vocal about their opposition to President Trump’s policies. Happy Sunday — let’s dive in.

🔎 WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

🙅‍♂️ Conservative media turns against Trump's trade policies. Major conservative outlets are pushing back on President Trump's recent economic moves, with The Wall Street Journal calling his Canada-Mexico tariffs "the dumbest trade war in history." Even loyal Trump supporters like Fox News' Maria Bartiromo have begun questioning administration officials about recession fears. This open criticism from right-wing media suggests Trump must deliver, and deliver soon, on his tariff war.

📻 WSJ and NR push back against Trump’s shuttering of government media. Major conservative outlets, including The Wall Street Journal and National Review, criticized President Trump’s decision to dismantle US media outlets like Radio Free Asia and Voice of America (VOA). National Review argued that the administration’s move to shut down VOA and other international broadcasters is a misguided reaction to organizational failings and that none of the agencies’ shortcomings are “enough on its own to justify” shutting them down.

📈 X's value surges to $44 billion under Musk. Elon Musk's social media platform X has obtained a $44 billion valuation in a sharp turnaround, matching what Musk originally paid for Twitter. The valuation comes as the platform integrates new payment features and AI capabilities, though advertisers remain cautious about returning after previous controversies. This suggests Musk's controversial changes may be paying off despite initial skepticism from Wall Street.

💰 The Lincoln Project’s new undertaking was slammed as unaffordable. The anti-Trump PAC started a new media venture called Lincoln Square that requires paid subscriptions ranging from $100-$500 annually. The move sparked a backlash from elderly supporters on fixed incomes, with many questioning the group's motives and calling it a "gift.” The faux-Republican outlet is not proving to be successful, especially as its base consists largely of retired Democrats.

🏆 PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

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Mentioned behind the paywall: Which media player is up and who is down from the past week.

👀 WHO WE’RE WATCHING

🔒 This section is for members only

Mentioned behind the paywall: Jeremy Boreing, Dan Bongino, Rick Wilson, and Mel Gibson.

The Associated Press sued the Trump administration for restricting its access to the White House after the news outlet refused to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" in its style guide.

The largest newswire in the country had little luck; a district court judge refused The AP’s request to lift the ban. So, The Associated Press asked again earlier this month.

The ban is largely unprecedented — The Associated Press is one of America’s most established and well-respected news organizations. But the administration remains steadfast, even banning an AP photographer who attempted to sneak into Trump’s media pool over the weekend.

Dozens of news outlets, including Fox News and The New York Times, signed a letter urging the administration to lift the ban.

But despite the media’s outcry, this is a pivotal moment in Trump’s war on “fake news.”

The mainstream narrative presents The Associated Press as a fair and neutral outlet serving the role of a free press. In reality, it is far from neutral.

Although The Associated Press is a non-profit, it is funded by a vast network of left-wing donors.

Its board members have deep ties to progressive advocacy groups, including initiatives like NewsGuard, which has promoted global censorship efforts, federal crackdowns on vaccine-related content, and donors such as George Soros, Bill Gates, and Hillary Clinton — power brokers who worked to prevent Trump’s second administration.

The AP’s coverage of climate change alarmism, transgender ideology, gender theory, critical race theory, and racial justice reporting has been funded by left-wing charities.

The outlet even operated an office in Gaza where Hamas terrorists were present while claiming to report fairly on the conflict.

The ideological bias doesn’t stop there. The Associated Press distributes its style guide to thousands of outlets across the US and abroad. In its own words, the AP style guide serves as “an arbiter of language,” forcing journalists to use framing that promotes race theory, child sex changes, pro-abortion ideology, and other left-wing priorities.

This mainstream outlet is clearly not a neutral player. So, is Trump’s ban truly an attack on the free press?

Consider this: Would it have been considered an attack on the free press if President Biden banned The Daily Signal, a conservative outlet, from press briefings? Because that happened, and it was largely ignored.

The situations are similar. Both are outlets with ideological leanings. Both apply for the privilege — not the right — to be present at press briefings.

The Associated Press claims it has a right to be there. If that were true, then Upward News would have the same right — along with the hundreds and thousands of other news outlets in the country. It couldn’t work.

The Trump administration is making an example of The Associated Press, sending a clear message that mainstream outlets have operated under the guise of a “free press” for too long. For years, they’ve enjoyed a free pass — claiming neutrality while pushing a partisan agenda. Now, they’re being held accountable.

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