Summary
- The appeals court upheld the Trump administration’s restrictions on AP White House access.
- Restrictions limit AP to specific locations like Oval Office and Air Force One.
- AP sued after refusing to use Trump’s preferred name, "Gulf of America."
- Court denied AP’s request for full review; Supreme Court appeal possible.
- The case raises First Amendment issues on media access and viewpoint discrimination.
A divided three-judge panel on June 6 ruled that the administration could lawfully deny the AP access to news events in the Oval Office and other White House-controlled locations, such as Air Force One. The full U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld this ruling.
The AP requested a review of the case, but the D.C. Circuit order denied it, paving the way for a potential appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Requests for response on Tuesday were not immediately answered by the White House or the Associated Press.
The AP claimed in a lawsuit filed in February that the administration's restrictions on its access were unconstitutional under the First Amendment's safeguards against governmental interference with free speech.
In January, Trump formally instructed federal agencies to use the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America by signing an executive order. After the White House denied the AP access because it refused to use "Gulf of America" in its news coverage, the AP filed a lawsuit.
The Gulf of Mexico has had that name for over 400 years, according to the AP stylebook. AP acknowledged Trump's new moniker but stated that, as a worldwide news organization, it will continue to refer to the body of water by its traditional name.
Reuters and the AP also published statements decrying the access limits, which put wire services in a bigger rotation alongside approximately 30 other newspaper and print publishers. Global financial markets and other media consumers, such as local news organizations that are not based in Washington, depend on the wire services' real-time coverage of presidential pronouncements.
The president has complete control over media access to the White House, according to the Trump administration.
When U.S. District Judge Treevor McFadden, who was chosen by Trump during his first term, ruled that the White House cannot exclude other journalists based on their opinions, invoking the First Amendment, the AP obtained a significant ruling in the trial court.
In June, the D.C. Circuit panel delayed McFadden's order in a 2-1 decision. Trump appointed Neomi Rao and Gregory Katsas, the two judges in the majority, during his first term in office. Cornelia Pillard, the dissenting judge, was appointed by Democratic former President Barack Obama.
How has the restricted access affected AP’s White House coverage?
The restrictions have significantly limited the Associated Press’s ability to cover the White House effectively. Under the new media policy implemented since early 2025, AP journalists no longer have guaranteed daily access to the president or key events such as Oval Office appearances, Air Force One trips, or formal news conferences.
Instead, their participation is reduced to rotating slots shared with other wire services and print reporters, with the White House press secretary retaining discretion over pool composition. This curtails AP’s consistent real-time reporting and reduces their ability to provide immediate, widespread coverage used by thousands of outlets globally.
AP officials and other wire services have criticized the policy for undermining independent, comprehensive journalism and limiting transparency.