On Friday, a legal action was initiated by the Associated Press against three officials from the Trump administration, aimed at obtaining access to presidential events. The lawsuit emphasizes the importance of freedom of speech and seeks intervention from a federal judge to overturn a recent 10-day ban imposed on its reporters.
This lawsuit was brought forth in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., on Friday afternoon. The Associated Press argues that the case highlights an unconstitutional initiative by the White House to dictate speech—specifically referencing the president’s previous executive order that changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to “Gulf of America.”
According to the Associated Press, “The press and all citizens in the United States must retain their right to select their own terminology without facing retaliation from the government.” The lawsuit targets specific individuals, including White House Chief of Staff Susan Wiles, Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich, and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
The Associated Press further contends, “This deliberate assault on our editorial independence and our ability to collect and disseminate news fundamentally undermines the First Amendment. The court must take action to address this immediately.”
The actions taken by the Trump administration included barring the AP’s journalists from attending press events at both the White House and Mar-a-Lago, as well as from using their designated space on Air Force One. The administration cited the AP’s rejection of the president’s preferred nomenclature as a reason for the exclusion. “We’re going to keep them out until such time as they agree that it’s the Gulf of America,” stated Trump on Tuesday.
Additionally, this week saw about 40 news organizations come together to express their concerns. They co-signed a letter, coordinated by the White House Correspondents Association, urging the Trump administration to reconsider its stance and allow the Associated Press back into coverage situations.
