AP Files Lawsuit Against White House Staff for Limiting Access
The Associated Press has initiated legal action against the White House, alleging a breach of the First Amendment of the US Constitution.
TroibNews 
The Associated Press, one of the most established news agencies globally, has initiated legal action against three senior officials of the White House, alleging that they have infringed upon press freedoms by preventing its reporters from reporting on President Donald Trump’s activities.
The restrictions by the White House came after AP declined to adopt the term “Gulf of America” in lieu of “Gulf of Mexico.”
A complaint was filed on Friday in the US District Court in Washington, DC. With over a century of participation in the presidential press pool, the news agency reported being excluded from press events at the White House and Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, and was also restricted from traveling on Air Force One.
“The press and all people in the United States have the right to choose their own words and not be retaliated against by the government,” AP stated in its lawsuit, identifying White House Chief of Staff Susan Wiles, Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich, and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt as defendants.
“This targeted attack on the AP’s editorial independence and ability to gather and report the news strikes at the very core of the First Amendment. This court should remedy it immediately,” the lawsuit claims.
On January 20, President Trump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.” AP maintained its position by refusing to alter its style guide, asserting its intention to continue using the internationally recognized name.
“As a global news agency that disseminates news around the world, the AP must ensure that place names and geography are easily recognizable to all audiences,” the agency remarked in a statement last month.
In response, the White House informed AP’s presidential correspondent Zeke Miller that the agency would be barred from certain press areas unless it complied with Trump's directive.
Budowich later declared on X that AP would be indefinitely barred from accessing the Oval Office and Air Force One. In an email to AP, Wiles contended that the outlet had “misused” its influence to advocate for a “divisive and partisan agenda.”
“We’re going to ensure that truth and accuracy are present at the White House every single day,” Leavitt commented.
Trump has frequently accused media organizations of bias and disseminating “fake news” about him and his policies. “We’re going to keep them out until such time as they agree that it’s the Gulf of America,” he told reporters earlier this week.
In support of AP, several media organizations, including CNN, Fox News, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, have signed a letter urging the White House to remove the restrictions.
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
The restrictions by the White House came after AP declined to adopt the term “Gulf of America” in lieu of “Gulf of Mexico.”
A complaint was filed on Friday in the US District Court in Washington, DC. With over a century of participation in the presidential press pool, the news agency reported being excluded from press events at the White House and Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, and was also restricted from traveling on Air Force One.
“The press and all people in the United States have the right to choose their own words and not be retaliated against by the government,” AP stated in its lawsuit, identifying White House Chief of Staff Susan Wiles, Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich, and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt as defendants.
“This targeted attack on the AP’s editorial independence and ability to gather and report the news strikes at the very core of the First Amendment. This court should remedy it immediately,” the lawsuit claims.
On January 20, President Trump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.” AP maintained its position by refusing to alter its style guide, asserting its intention to continue using the internationally recognized name.
“As a global news agency that disseminates news around the world, the AP must ensure that place names and geography are easily recognizable to all audiences,” the agency remarked in a statement last month.
In response, the White House informed AP’s presidential correspondent Zeke Miller that the agency would be barred from certain press areas unless it complied with Trump's directive.
Budowich later declared on X that AP would be indefinitely barred from accessing the Oval Office and Air Force One. In an email to AP, Wiles contended that the outlet had “misused” its influence to advocate for a “divisive and partisan agenda.”
“We’re going to ensure that truth and accuracy are present at the White House every single day,” Leavitt commented.
Trump has frequently accused media organizations of bias and disseminating “fake news” about him and his policies. “We’re going to keep them out until such time as they agree that it’s the Gulf of America,” he told reporters earlier this week.
In support of AP, several media organizations, including CNN, Fox News, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, have signed a letter urging the White House to remove the restrictions.
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
