Trump admin appeals ruling granting Associated Press access to 'the President's most intimate spaces'

A federal court granted the Associated Press an injunction Wednesday preventing the Trump administration from excluding it from press events at the White House.

U.S. District Court Judge Trevor McFadden, a Trump appointee, ordered White House officials to rescind the denial of the AP's access to the Oval Office, Air Force One, and other spaces based on the liberal news organization's viewpoints.

"The AP seeks restored eligibility for admission to the press pool and limited-access press events, untainted by an impermissible viewpoint-based exclusion," wrote McFadden.

"That is all the Court orders today: For the Government to put the AP on an equal playing field as similarly situated outlets, despite the AP's use of disfavored terminology," continued the judge. "The Court does not order the Government to grant the AP permanent access to the Oval Office, the East Room, or any other media event. It does not bestow special treatment upon the AP."

The Trump administration is appealing the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

'We're going to keep them out.'

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump directed Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum to "take all appropriate actions to rename as the 'Gulf of America' the U.S. Continental Shelf area bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the States of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida and extending to the seaward boundary with Mexico and Cuba in the area formerly named as the Gulf of Mexico."

Trump celebrated the name change by declaring Feb. 9 the first ever Gulf of America Day.

Despite the U.S. government's renaming of the body of water, the AP persisted in calling it the "Gulf of Mexico" both in its reporting and in its style guide, which is used by journalists around the world.

This armchair subversion did not go over well with the Trump White House.

Blaze News previously reported that Trump told reporters when asked about restrictions on the AP, "We're going to keep them out until such time that they agree that it's the Gulf of America."

'It also exposes the Associated Press' commitment to misinformation.'

Trump also took shots at "The Associated Press Stylebook," noting, "I do think that some of the phrases they want to use are ridiculous, and I think, frankly, they’ve become obsolete, especially in the last three weeks."

According to court documents, Leavitt told AP chief White House correspondent Zeke Miller on Feb. 11 that "at President Trump's direction, the AP would no longer be permitted in the Oval Office as part of the press pool until and unless the AP revised its Stylebook."

Days later Leavitt noted that the AP was "not invited" to the Oval Office to cover Trump signing a pair of executive orders. Sure enough, AP journalists found themselves barred from other numerous events.

'It does not ensure their privilege of unfettered access to limited spaces.'

When the AP complained, White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich stated, "The Associated Press continues to ignore the lawful geographic name change of the Gulf of America. This decision is not just divisive, but it also exposes the Associated Press' commitment to misinformation."

While there are plenty of examples, Budowich's allusion to "misinformation" may be in reference to the AP's

• false report about an explosion that took place Oct. 7, 2023, outside the Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza, which it blamed on Israel as opposed to the Islamic terrorists responsible;
• false report claiming that U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard called Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin "very good friends";
• deceptive framing of Vice President JD Vance's speech concerning a Georgia school shooting;
• false election-time claim about Project 2025 being the "Republican blueprint for a second Trump term in the White House"; or
• its false report that Russia fired a missile into Poland.

"While their right to irresponsible and dishonest reporting is protected by the First Amendment, it does not ensure their privilege of unfettered access to limited spaces, like the Oval Office and Air Force One," continued Budowich. "Going forward, that space will now be opened up to the many thousands of reporters who have been barred from covering these intimate areas of the administration."

The AP filed a lawsuit against Trump administration officials on Feb. 21 accusing Budowich, Leavitt, and chief of staff Susie Wiles of "coercing journalists to report the news using only government-approved language."

The lawsuit proved successful.

McFadden noted in his ruling Wednesday that while he was granting the AP its requested injunction, it "does not limit the various permissible reasons the Government may have for excluding journalists from limited-access events."

"It does not mandate that all eligible journalists, or indeed any journalists at all, be given access to the President or nonpublic government spaces," continued the judge. "It does not prohibit government officials from freely choosing which journalists to sit down with for interviews or which ones' questions they answer. And it certainly does not prevent senior officials from publicly expressing their own views."

Lauren Easton, a spokeswoman for the AP, stated, "We are gratified by the court's decision."

"Today's ruling affirms the fundamental right of the press and public to speak freely without government retaliation. This is a freedom guaranteed for all Americans in the U.S. Constitution," added Easton.

The Trump administration has requested a stay of the injunction pending the outcome of its appeal.

An attorney for the government noted in a court motion Thursday that McFadden's injunction "constitutes an unprecedented intrusion into Executive authority."

"For the first time in history, and inconsistent with D.C. Circuit precedent ... a court issued an order to control access to the President's most intimate spaces: his personal workspace (the Oval Office), his means of transportation (Air Force One), and his personal home (the Mar-a-Lago Club)," wrote U.S. Attorney Brian Hudak.

Hudak further noted that the government has not restricted the AP's speech, just denied it "special access to the president's personal and private spaces."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!