Judge rejects Associated Press’s emergency bid to restore Trump press access – Washington Examiner
A federal judge has rejected the Associated Press’s emergency request to regain full access to White House press events under the Trump administration while acknowledging the constitutional implications of the case. The judge, Trevor McFadden, did not grant a temporary restraining order but ordered an expedited review, highlighting the urgency of the situation. The dispute arose after Trump issued an executive order changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America,” which the Associated Press refused to adopt, leading to its reporters being barred from covering key events, including those in the Oval Office and on Air Force One. The lawsuit was filed against three senior White House officials, arguing the ban infringed upon First and Fifth Amendment rights. Government lawyers contended that no media outlet has a constitutional right to special access to the president. Both the white House Correspondents’ Association and Reuters have expressed support for the Associated Press, indicating that the ban could threaten press freedom. The story is ongoing and will continue to be updated.
Judge rejects Associated Press’s emergency bid to restore Trump press access
A federal judge on Monday denied the Associated Press’s emergency request to restore full access to Trump administration White House press pool events but ordered an expedited review of the case, citing the serious constitutional questions involved.
U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, an appointee of President Donald Trump, declined to grant the news outlet’s temporary restraining order against the Trump administration but acknowledged the urgency of the matter. The First Amendment dispute stems from Trump’s recent executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” and the Associated Press’s refusal to adopt the gulf’s new name.
Despite McFadden’s decision, he warned that case law on the books does not favor the administration’s effort to block the outlet from accessing the press pool on the basis of its refusal to use the Gulf of America’s new title, warning that the White House may want to adjust its current policies, which grant broad discretion to the White House Correspondents’ Association to delegate press matters to the broader press corps.
The Associated Press filed the lawsuit after its reporters were barred from covering Oval Office events and traveling aboard Air Force One.
The outlet sued three senior White House aides — press secretary Karoline Leavitt, chief of staff Susan Wiles, and deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich — arguing the ban violates First and Fifth Amendment protections against government interference in press freedoms.
Lawyers for the administration countered that no media outlet has a constitutional right to “special access” to the president.
ASSOCIATED PRESS SUES 3 TRUMP OFFICIALS OVER PRESIDENTIAL EVENT ACCESS
The White House Correspondents’ Association and Reuters have publicly supported the Associated Press, warning that the ban could undermine press freedom and distort coverage of the presidency.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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