The Trump White House has announced its intention to appeal a judge’s ruling that lifted restrictions on the Associated Press (AP) regarding access to White House events.
This move comes after U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden ruled on Tuesday that the White House must allow AP journalists to attend press events in the Oval Office, on Air Force One, and in other large spaces within the White House while a lawsuit against the administration proceeds.
Judge McFadden’s decision came after he determined that the Trump administration had retaliated against the AP for its editorial choices, violating the First Amendment protections for free speech. He delayed the enforcement of his ruling until Sunday, giving the White House time to file an appeal.
The dispute began when the AP continued to use the name “Gulf of Mexico” in its coverage, despite an order from President Trump to refer to the body of water as the “Gulf of America.” The AP, standing by its stylebook, defended the longstanding name “Gulf of Mexico,” which has been used for over 400 years. The news agency stated it would continue using the original name but would acknowledge Trump’s preferred term in its reporting.
In response, the White House restricted AP’s access to key events involving the president, arguing that the AP was being punished for its decision to not comply with the administration’s naming preference.
The AP filed a lawsuit in February, accusing Trump’s aides of trying to force the news outlet to adopt the administration’s language. The lawsuit claimed that the restrictions violated the AP’s constitutional rights to free speech and due process, as the news agency was not allowed to challenge the ban.
The Trump administration’s legal team countered by arguing that the AP does not have a right to what they called “special access” to the president. Under the current arrangement, AP journalists were excluded from the press pool, the group of reporters that covers events in the Oval Office and travels with the president.
In February, the White House took over the process of determining which media outlets are allowed to be part of the press pool. Reuters, which has supported the AP, remains a part of the pool, with wire services now rotating in and out.
As the legal battle continues, the AP’s lawsuit remains in progress, and the White House’s appeal will determine the future of its restrictions on the news agency’s access to the president.
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