The lawsuit follows a dispute over the term ‘Gulf of America’ and subsequent limitations on the news agency’s access to events.
The Associated Press (AP) has launched legal action against three high-ranking White House officials, alleging that restrictions placed on its reporters’ access to President Trump’s activities infringe upon press freedoms.
These restrictions were reportedly imposed after the AP declined to adopt the term ‘Gulf of America’ instead of ‘Gulf of Mexico’.
The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court in Washington, DC, on Friday. The AP, a long-standing member of the White House press pool, claims it has been barred from White House press events, events at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence, and travel 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,” the AP stated in its lawsuit, naming 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 continues. The AP contends that the restrictions violate due process and the First Amendment, which safeguards freedom of the press.
President Trump issued an executive order on January 20, renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the ‘Gulf of America.’ The AP refused to change its style guide, affirming its continued use of 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 stated last month.
The White House reportedly informed AP’s presidential correspondent, Zeke Miller, that the organization would be excluded from certain press areas unless it adhered to Trump’s directive.
Budowich later announced on X that the AP would be banned indefinitely from the Oval Office and Air Force One. In an email to the AP, Wiles asserted that the outlet had “misused” its influence to promote a “divisive and partisan agenda.”
“We’re going to ensure that truth and accuracy are present at the White House every single day,” Leavitt stated.
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,” Trump told reporters earlier this week.
Several media organizations, including CNN, Fox News, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, have voiced their support for the AP in a letter urging the White House to lift the restrictions.
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