WASHINGTON — The White House on Monday barred Associated Press journalists from attending a high-profile Oval Office news conference between President Donald Trump and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, defying a recent federal court order prohibiting retaliation against the AP for its editorial decisions.
The exclusion came despite a ruling that took effect the same day, issued by U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden, which declared the Trump administration could not penalize the AP for refusing to follow an executive order that renamed the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America.” The judge concluded that the government’s actions constituted unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination, reinforcing the news organization’s First Amendment protections. The administration, however, is appealing the decision and argues it is not yet required to implement the ruling while the appeals process is underway.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is scheduled to hold a hearing Thursday to consider the administration’s request to delay the enforcement of the order during the ongoing legal review. Meanwhile, the Associated Press is pushing to regain full access immediately, arguing that the court’s injunction is already in effect and must be followed.
Later the same day, the AP was allowed limited access to another event honoring Ohio State University’s football team on the White House South Lawn. Two AP photographers were admitted, but a text reporter was turned away without explanation, signaling continued restrictions despite the court’s ruling.
Since February, the Trump administration has systematically blocked AP reporters and photographers from accessing key events in the Oval Office and aboard Air Force One. While the AP still maintains some level of access to other events, including regular press briefings conducted by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the Oval Office remains off limits. Leavitt is one of three officials named in the AP’s ongoing lawsuit.
The dispute centers on the AP’s editorial decision not to adopt language mandated by President Trump’s executive order, which sought to rename the Gulf of Mexico in government references and publications. Though AP style guidance includes a note referencing the president’s preference, the news organization chose not to implement the renaming in its reports. The federal judge ruled that the administration’s efforts to punish the outlet for that decision infringed on its right to free speech.
Despite this legal victory, AP’s future access to White House events remains uncertain. The court did not explicitly order the administration to reinstate previous privileges, only to stop excluding the AP based on content or viewpoint. The ruling emphasized that the government cannot deny access to journalists simply because it disapproves of their editorial stance.
White House attorneys have responded by arguing that the AP was never guaranteed the level of access it previously enjoyed. In recent court filings, the administration claimed that no news outlet is entitled to perpetual preferential access and that the AP’s expectations are inconsistent with constitutional standards.
In a statement Monday, AP spokesperson Lauren Easton reiterated the organization’s expectation that the White House restore its participation in the press pool, in line with the court’s order. The legal battle is ongoing, with broader implications for press freedom and government transparency.
