Judge orders White House to restore Associated Press access after Gulf dispute

A federal judge has ordered the White House to reinstate access for the Associated Press (AP) after the Trump administration had restricted it. The dispute arose when the AP refused to adopt the White House's renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden ruled that the administration violated the First Amendment by denying access based on the news outlet's viewpoint. The AP had been excluded from key presidential events, including Oval Office access and boarding Air Force One, for its editorial decision to use the original name while acknowledging the new one. Judge McFadden clarified that while the White House can choose which journalists to interview, it cannot bar specific outlets from events open to others due to their reporting stance. The ruling emphasized that if the government opens access to some journalists, it cannot deny it to others based on their viewpoints. This decision follows an earlier denial of an emergency request, but the judge fast-tracked the case due to significant constitutional questions. The AP's lawsuit named several Trump aides, alleging violations of First and Fifth Amendment rights. The White House Correspondents Association and other outlets supported the AP, warning of potential distortions in presidential coverage and threats to press freedom.