AP Busted Again for Pushing Fake News About Tulsi, Trump, and Putin Retracted

The Associated Press (AP) issued a retraction on Tuesday after publishing a story that misrepresented a statement made by U.S. National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard.

The initial report falsely claimed that Gabbard referred to President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin as “very good friends.”

The AP pulled the story, originally titled “Gabbard Says Trump And Putin Are ‘Very Good Friends’ Focused On Strengthening Ties,” and issued a correction clarifying that Gabbard was actually referring to Trump’s relationship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Don’t be like Michael, don’t spread fake news. https://t.co/RD1xWRZWDX pic.twitter.com/2lHzyJhlhU

— Alex Pfeiffer (@Pfeiffer47) March 18, 2025

Elon Musk Called This Financial News ‘Terrifying’

“This story was updated on Mar. 17, 2025, to delete erroneous reporting that U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘are very good friends,’” the AP stated in an editor’s note attached to the corrected article.

An AP spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation that the initial report was removed because “it did not meet [their] standards.”

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The corrected version of the article now accurately reflects Gabbard’s remarks made in an interview with India’s NDTV on Monday.

During that interview, Gabbard discussed Trump’s upcoming call with Putin, emphasizing his commitment to diplomacy.

“Under the previous administration, during which this war began, there was no effort, there was no effort at all towards peace. There was no effort to have direct dialogue with Putin and with Russia to try to bring about an end to this war. So already in a very short period of time, President Trump has made much more progress towards peace than any effort that has occurred by anyone, previously,” Gabbard told NDTV.

“I’m sure that President Trump will have a very productive conversation with Putin, once again, rooted in his unwavering commitment to peace.”

The AP’s corrected report also included Gabbard’s statement about Trump’s relationship with Modi.

“With President Trump’s leadership in the United States, of course Prime Minister Modi’s longstanding leadership here in India, we have two leaders of our two great countries who are very good friends and who are very focused on how we can strengthen those shared objectives and those shared interests,” Gabbard said.

Gabbard’s spokesperson, Alexa Henning, took to social media to criticize the AP for its reporting, calling it “maliciously incompetent and purposefully biased.”

She also confirmed that she had contacted both the AP and reporter David Klepper to demand a correction.

“The AP is total trash,” Henning wrote on X. “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, then nothing is.”

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

Trump announced in February that negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war had begun following a conversation with Putin.

Ukraine has agreed to a U.S.-proposed ceasefire deal lasting 30 days after discussions with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Both the U.S. and Ukraine now await Russia’s response.

We used to be able to trust the AP to just report the facts. No more. AP now stands for Associated Propaganda, politically biased, publishing articles that read more like opinion pieces than news reporting. They and the Democrat elite treat the American people like we are fools,… pic.twitter.com/l0PQc8y8RP

— Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) September 2, 2023

AP’s ‘style guide’ now instructs journalists to use preferred pronouns and avoid terms like ‘biological sex.’ When you read the MSM, know the US govt and ‘woke’ organizations like Associated Propaganda are trying to influence and ‘guide’ you, not provide actual objective truth or… pic.twitter.com/Ldn7HB6txh

— Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) June 25, 2023

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