A US District Court judge, Trevor McFadden, has ordered the White House to fully restore Associated Press (AP) access to all events organized by President Donald Trump’s administration.
The decision follows a dispute where AP was barred from presidential events, including access to the Oval Office and Air Force One, after the agency continued to use the term “Gulf of Mexico” instead of “American Gulf,” as President Trump had demanded.
Judge McFadden emphasized that “under the First Amendment, if the government opens its doors to some reporters, it cannot close them to others because of their views,” highlighting the constitutional protection of free speech.
In February, AP sued three of Trump’s top aides, arguing that the access restrictions violated press freedom and accused the administration of attempting to “dictate the language used in reporting.”
Despite the White House’s legal defense, claiming AP’s decision justified limiting their access, the court ruled in favor of the press agency. Following the ruling, AP confirmed it will continue to refer to the region as the “Gulf of Mexico” in its reports.
