The White House is still preventing the Associated Press from attending events.
The Associated Press reported that its reporter and photographer were blocked from attending President Trump’s press conference with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele in the Oval Office on Monday. The White House’s action came despite a court order mandating their access.
In February, Trump restricted AP’s access to most presidential events after the news organization declined to adopt Trump’s preferred term “Gulf of America” for the Gulf of Mexico. Trump had officially announced the name change in January.
“As a global news organization, AP needs to use place names and geographic terms that are easily understood by a global audience,” the AP stated at the time.
Last week, a federal court in Washington, DC, determined that the ban violated the First Amendment. Judge Trevor N. McFadden wrote, “Under the First Amendment, if the government allows some journalists access – whether to the Oval Office, the East Room, or anywhere else – it cannot exclude other journalists based on their views.” The White House is appealing this decision.
According to the AP, its reporters are still prohibited from the Oval Office and Air Force One but have “sporadic access” to other areas, including briefings held by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Trump has often criticized what he calls “the lying media,” accusing journalists of spreading “fake news” about him and his administration. Last month, Leavitt rebuked an AP reporter for asking what she deemed an “insulting” question about Trump’s tariff policies.