Despite a court order, The Associated Press’ reporter and photographer were denied access to an Oval Office news conference on Monday with President Donald Trump and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele. A federal court ruling last week prohibited the Trump administration from penalizing the AP for refusing to rename the Gulf of Mexico, with the decision set to take effect on Monday. The administration is appealing the ruling and debating with the news outlet on whether any changes should be made during the appeals process. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. circuit has scheduled a hearing on Thursday to address Trump’s request for a delay in implementing any changes while the case is reviewed. The AP is pushing for increased access as soon as possible.
Since mid-February, AP journalists have been blocked from covering events in the Oval Office and on Air Force One, although they have sporadic access elsewhere and regularly attend White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s briefings. The AP’s lawsuit involves its decision not to comply with the president’s executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico, despite Trump’s preference for it to be called the Gulf of America. The AP argued that it has the right to free speech, a point upheld by U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden. The AP expects the White House to reinstate its participation in the White House press pool as directed by the court order.
The future level of access for the AP remains uncertain, as the court decision did not specifically mandate the restoration of traditional access for the news organization. The administration argued that the AP should not expect special treatment and that the Constitution does not require such privileges to be permanent.
