When President Donald Trump sent letters to foreign leaders explaining his tariff plans, their tone, targets and content raised eyebrows. Washington bureau leaders saw a chance to unpack these documents in a way that would be accessible to readers while preserving depth and nuance.
In a morning news meeting, the team discussed a bold idea: What if AP annotated the letters?
Trends and Culture reporter Laurie Kellman took the lead, crafting a fragmented narrative that used key phrases and passages from the letters to tell the story of Trump’s strategy and diplomatic style. Interactive designer Dario Lopez-Mills transformed that narrative into a visually compelling, clickable presentation that allowed readers to explore each letter in detail.
Together, they re-created three of Trump’s letters — to Canada, the EU, and Mexico — highlighting what each passage meant, what was unusual about it, and how it fit into broader trade tensions. The clickable format, completed in just 36 hours, was embedded across customer sites and delivered with a companion text version for print clients.
The project not only helped audiences understand the substance and subtext of Trump’s messaging, but also established a new AP story form that integrates reporting, analysis and interactive presentation. Future annotation-style projects across departments now use this work as a template.
For inventive storytelling and rapid execution that turned complex diplomacy into an engaging reader experience, Laurie Kellman and Dario Lopez-Mills earn this week’s Best of the Week – Honorable Mention.
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