The Associated Press has filed a lawsuit against three Trump administration officials, alleging that their decision to bar AP reporters from certain events, the Oval Office, and Air Force One violates the First Amendment and the due process clause of the Fifth Amendment.
The lawsuit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Washington, seeks an emergency hearing and a court order declaring the ban unconstitutional. The AP is asking the court to force the White House to rescind the restriction.
The suit names White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, and Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich as defendants.
The dispute stems from the AP’s continued use of the term “Gulf of Mexico,” despite Trump’s decision to rename it the “Gulf of America.” Earlier this month, the White House singled out the AP for refusing to adopt the new terminology.
According to the AP’s legal filing, the White House has explicitly conditioned access on the use of government-approved language, stating that its journalists must adhere to specific terminology or risk indefinite exclusion.
The ban was implemented on February 11, prompting immediate objections from AP editors, who attempted to resolve the matter privately before taking legal action. On Friday, the AP stated that it is pursuing the lawsuit not only to restore its own access but to prevent similar actions against other news organizations.
Trump indicated at the recent press conference that AP reporters and photographers would remain barred from the Oval Office and Air Force One until they comply with the name change.
The White House has defended its decision, arguing that the AP remains credentialed to cover the administration like other media outlets. This legal battle differs from CNN’s 2018 lawsuit after the White House revoked correspondent Jim Acosta’s press pass. In that case, a judge ruled in CNN’s favor on due process grounds, forcing the Trump administration to reinstate Acosta’s credentials.
