The Associated Press has taken legal action against US President Donald Trump‘s administration after its reporters were blocked from covering key presidential events, including Oval Office meetings and Air Force One trips.
The lawsuit, filed in a US district court in Washington on Friday, names three senior White House officials: Chief of staff Susie Wiles, press secretary Karoline Leavitt, and deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich.
AP argues that the ban violates both the First Amendment and the Fifth Amendment’s due process clause. The organisation is seeking an emergency hearing and a court order to lift the restrictions.
Why was AP barred from presidential press briefings?
According to AP, the White House is punishing the news agency for refusing to adopt a term preferred by President Trump. The dispute stems from the AP’s continued use of the name “Gulf of Mexico,” despite Trump’s insistence that it should be called the “Gulf of America.”
At a recent press conference, Trump criticised the AP, saying, “The Associated Press just refuses to go with what the law is and what has taken place. It’s called the ‘Gulf of America’ now.”
The AP, however, maintains its global editorial independence. Given that other countries do not recognise the new name, the organisation has continued using “Gulf of Mexico” in its reports, while also noting Trump’s decree.
The legal filing describes the White House’s stance as a direct attempt to control media language. “The White House has ordered its journalists to use certain words in its coverage or else face an indefinite denial of access,” the AP’s lawyers wrote.
White House officials respond
Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Friday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged the lawsuit. “Upon driving over here from the White House, I actually learned that I have been sued by the Associated Press,” she said. “So we’ll see them in court. We feel we are in the right in this position.”
Leavitt defended the administration’s actions, stating, “We are going to ensure that truth and accuracy is present at that White House every single day.”
The White House says the AP is still accredited like other news outlets and can attend regular press briefings. However, its reporters are banned from Oval Office events and Air Force One trips.
Impact on press coverage
AP plays a crucial role in White House press coverage, acting as a key source of information for thousands of news outlets globally. The organisation is part of the “press pool” that travels with the president and shares reports with the wider media.
“When the AP is denied access, the thousands of global news outlets that republish the AP’s news reports, and the billions of people that rely on its reporting, also are denied access,” its lawyers argued in the complaint.
There is no Supreme Court ruling that guarantees news outlets access to White House events, but some appellate court decisions have addressed similar issues.
The AP’s lawsuit aims to prevent future government attempts to influence journalistic coverage. “The Constitution does not allow the government to control speech,” its lawyers wrote. “Allowing such government control and retaliation to stand is a threat to every American’s freedom,” they added.