White House Bars AP Reporter, Defying Court Order

[PAF]

Sara Fischer
Apr 15, 2025



The White House barred an Associated Press reporter and photographer from an Oval Office press conference Monday, despite a court order last week that it must cease blocking the AP from such events beginning Monday.

Why it matters: The Trump administration has indicated that it plans to appeal the ruling, but in the interim, the District Court order still stands, putting the White House in clear violation of the ruling.

State of play: The administration acknowledged the judge's order in a letter to an appeals court Monday, while asking for an administrative stay to extend the period of time it can avoid having to abide by the ruling.

• It asked that a stay be granted until Thursday, when both sides are set to deliver oral arguments in an appeals court.
• If the appeals court denies its emergency motion to extend the stay, the White House is asking for the stay be extended "an additional seven days in order to provide the Solicitor General with an opportunity to seek relief," it wrote.
• The AP sent a letter to the appeals court in "opposition to the government's 'reiterated' request for an administrative stay."

Between the lines: Even if a stay was granted, the White House has a high bar to clear in getting a panel of three appeals court judges to rule in favor of overturning the district judge's decision.

• It would need to prove not just that it's likely to succeed on the merit of the case, but also that it's suffering irreparable harm from the ruling.

The big picture: In siding with the AP last week in its lawsuit against three Trump administration officials, U.S. district judge Trevor McFadden, who was appointed to his position by President Trump in 2017, set a new precedent for news companies covering public officials.

https://www.axios.com/2025/04/15/white-house-ap-court-order

___________________________________________________________________________________

AP sues Trump officials over Oval Office ban, citing First Amendment​

Sara Fischer
Feb 21, 2025



The Associated Press on Friday sued three Trump administration officials for blocking its reporters from access to events like Oval Office meetings and Air Force One press pools, citing a violation of its First Amendment rights.

Why it matters: Efforts by Trump to block reporters during his first administration didn't pass muster in court, and First Amendment experts believe the principles established by those decisions should apply to the AP's case.

Zoom in: The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the the District of Columbia, names White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.

• "The White House has ordered The Associated Press to use certain words in its coverage or else face an indefinite denial of access," the AP writes in its lawsuit."
• "The press and all people in the United States have the right to choose their own words and not be retaliated against by the government. The Constitution does not allow the government to control speech. Allowing such government control and retaliation to stand is a threat to every American's freedom."
• The complaint asks the court to order that the government "immediately cease its retaliatory actions against the AP" and restore is access to the Oval Office, Air Force once and other limited spaces.

Catch up quick: The White House last week barred AP reporters from White House pool events at the Oval Office and Air Force One, and said it would ban the Associated Press from future events over the outlet's decision to continue using Gulf of Mexico rather than President Trump's preferred Gulf of America.

• AP said it would continue to refer to the region by the name it had for over 400 years "while acknowledging the new name Trump has chosen."

https://www.axios.com/2025/02/21/ap-sues-trump-oval-office-ban-gulf-of-mexico

 

[PAF]

• "The White House has ordered The Associated Press to use certain words in its coverage or else face an indefinite denial of access," the AP writes in its lawsuit."
• "The press and all people in the United States have the right to choose their own words and not be retaliated against by the government. The Constitution does not allow the government to control speech. Allowing such government control and retaliation to stand is a threat to every American's freedom."

Is this part of the curriculum of Trump's "free" Nationalized American Academy?

 

[ClaytonB]

The entire US government has lost its collective mind. The judiciary has absolutely no authority to order the executive to "allow access" to anything. Neither Congress nor the judiciary have such power. All 3 branches have gone utterly mad.

 

[unknown]

It is a bit strange, what we've evolved into, a nation essentially run by judges.

 

[TheTexan]

It is a bit strange, what we've evolved into, a nation essentially run by judges.

Yep. Clowns in gowns running the show

 

[Swordsmyth]

Good, it's long past time to tell them to pound sand.

 

[TheTexan]

Good, it's long past time to tell them to pound sand.

They've been illegitimate since at least April 12 1869

 

[acptulsa]

The Associated Press on Friday sued three Trump administration officials for blocking its reporters from access to events like Oval Office meetings and Air Force One press pools, citing a violation of its First Amendment rights.

Why does "its First Amendment rights" set my teeth on edge?

If it wins, does that mean I have a right to attend every White House presser? I have First Amendment rights.

I hope an appellate judge hands the AP its ass.

 

[TheTexan]

I have First Amendment rights.

lol you still think you have rights

 

[acptulsa]

lol you still think you have rights

I'm just sick of having fewer rights than corporations.

When corporations have more rights than their stockholders, the fucking tail is wagging the dog. And this dog is all shook up about it.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

Why does "its First Amendment rights" set my teeth on edge?

If it wins, does that mean I have a right to attend every White House presser? I have First Amendment rights.

I hope an appellate judge hands the AP its ass.

I want a front row seat. I have rights, man!

 

[Toronto Limo Car Service]

That’s pretty wild. If there’s already a court order in place, the White House ignoring it is a big deal. Doesn’t matter if they plan to appeal-it still has to follow the rules for now. This back and forth over press access is starting to feel less about policy and more about control.

 

[Anti Federalist]

That’s pretty wild. If there’s already a court order in place, the White House ignoring it is a big deal. Doesn’t matter if they plan to appeal-it still has to follow the rules for now. This back and forth over press access is starting to feel less about policy and more about control.

Of course it's about control. The Marxist Media Organs have their agenda and Trump has his agenda.

One or the other is going to prevail.

 

[otherone]

Why does "its First Amendment rights" set my teeth on edge?

If it wins, does that mean I have a right to attend every White House presser? I have First Amendment rights.

I hope an appellate judge hands the AP its ass.

Yup. Some toxic constructive debate here in the past about collectives having Rights...like Citizen's United.

 

[Swordsmyth]

That’s pretty wild. If there’s already a court order in place, the White House ignoring it is a big deal. Doesn’t matter if they plan to appeal-it still has to follow the rules for now. This back and forth over press access is starting to feel less about policy and more about control.

Illegitimate court orders should be ignored.

The courts have long since overflowed their legitimate powers and set themselves up as dictators.

 

[Occam's Banana]

'How the State controls the media'

Jun 12, 2025

The Weaponization of Media Access Did Not Suddenly Start with Trump
{Mises Media | 12 June 2025}

What the “legacy” media is trying to present as a brand-new authoritarian crackdown on the press is only a more visible version of how the federal government has attempted to control public opinion for nearly a century.

Read the article here: https://mises.org/mises-wire/weaponization-media-access-did-not-suddenly-start-trump [see article below - OB]

---

The Weaponization of Media Access Did Not Suddenly Start with Trump...

• Occam's Banana

 

[James_Madison_Lives]

AP is not the press it is an arm of the DNC and Big Pharma. Safe and effective. I would rather Breitbart be guaranteed a spot.