A Russian state media reporter gained entry to the Oval Office for Trump-Zelensky sit-down

A correspondent for TASS, a Russian state media organization, was one of a group of hand-picked pool reporters present in the Oval Office for the leaders’ meeting, which is part of the US’ efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The contentious Trump-Zelensky sit-down may result in a signed agreement that would exchange US access to Ukraine’s mineral resources for security guarantees. On Friday, a member of Russia’s state-owned news agency gained access to the Oval Office to cover President Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, despite the White House excluding AP and Reuters from the high-level meeting.

“TASS was not on the approved list of media for today’s pool,” a White House official told CNN in a statement. “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.”

“He is not on the approved list for the press conference,” the official said.

The apparent gaffe comes three days after the White House announced it would wrest the choice of pool reporters from the White House Correspondents’ Association, breaking with decades of precedent. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, promoted the move as democratic on Tuesday, emphasizing that the WHCA “should no longer have a monopoly over the privilege of press access at the White House.”

Despite assurances from the White House that the TASS correspondent had not been approved, the staffer’s presence in the Oval Office highlights a significant breach of protocol from the White House. As the White House takes control of the pool roster, the TASS staffer’s presence represents a potential security lapse on the White House’s part.