The Associated Press retracted a report on Monday after incorrectly stating that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard described President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin as “very good friends.” The news organization issued a correction, clarifying that Gabbard was referring to Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, not Putin.
In a statement explaining the retraction, the AP acknowledged the error and said it was committed to maintaining accuracy. “The Associated Press has withdrawn its story about U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard saying President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘are very good friends.’ Gabbard was talking about Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The AP will publish a corrected version of the story,” the statement read.
The initial article was removed from the AP’s website, with the link now leading to a “page unavailable” message. The updated version of the story reflects Gabbard’s actual comments, and an editor’s note was included acknowledging the mistake.
“AP has removed its story about U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard saying President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘are very good friends’ because it did not meet our standards. We notified customers and published a corrected story with an editor’s note to be transparent about the error,” the Associated Press said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Gabbard’s deputy chief of staff, Alexa Henning, responded to the initial report on X, criticizing the AP for what she described as biased reporting. “The @AP is total trash. DNI @TulsiGabbard was referring to PM Modi & President Trump and this is the headline they publish. This is why no one trusts the maliciously incompetent and purposefully bias[ed] media. If this isn’t a clear example of pushing a solely political narrative, then nothing is,” Henning wrote.
The @AP is total trash. DNI @TulsiGabbard was referring to PM Modi & President Trump and this is the headline they publish.
This is why no one trusts the maliciously incompetent and purposefully bias media. If this isn’t a clear example of pushing a solely political narrative,… pic.twitter.com/1chFZQqTEd
— Alexa Henning (@alexahenning) March 18, 2025
The Associated Press has had prior conflicts with the Trump administration, particularly over its refusal to use the name “Gulf of America” after the Gulf of Mexico was renamed by executive order. As a result, the AP was barred from attending certain White House events.
Tensions between the AP and the White House were also on display during a recent press briefing on March 11, when AP reporter Josh Boak challenged press secretary Karoline Leavitt on tariffs. During the exchange, Boak asked, “I’m sorry, have you paid a tariff? Because I have. They don’t get charged on foreign companies. They get charged on the importers.”
Leavitt defended the administration’s trade policies and dismissed the reporter’s line of questioning. “And ultimately, when we have fair and balanced trade, which the American people have not seen in decades, as I said at the beginning, revenues will stay here, wages will go up, and our country will be made wealthy again,” Leavitt responded.
She went on to criticize the AP’s approach during the briefing. “And I think it’s insulting that you are trying to test my knowledge of economics and the decisions that this president has made. I now regret giving a question to the Associated Press,” she said before moving on to another reporter.
The AP has not responded directly to Henning’s criticism regarding the Gabbard article but maintains that it is committed to journalistic accuracy and transparency. The retraction adds to an ongoing debate over media credibility and its role in shaping public narratives.
AP Reporter: How can we be assured you’re not gonna lie?
Press Secretary: Actually it’s the MSM like you who have been lying for years
BOOM pic.twitter.com/ulCPeFk9iu
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 28, 2025
