The Associated Press has been blocked—again—from attending presidential events, as a federal appeals court refused to hear its request to regain full access. The legal fight isn’t over, but the AP remains sidelined until the fall.
Key Facts:
- The U.S. Court of Appeals declined to hear the AP’s appeal regarding White House access.
- The news outlet sued President Trump after being barred from events for rejecting the term “Gulf of America.”
- A district court initially ruled in favor of the AP, but the appeals court paused that decision.
- The appeals court’s latest move leaves the AP locked out until a full hearing this fall.
- While AP reporters are sometimes allowed back, its photographers maintain regular access.
The Rest of The Story:
The legal standoff between the Associated Press and the Trump White House took another turn as the U.S. Court of Appeals declined to hear the AP’s request to regain access to presidential events.
The decision follows an earlier ruling by a three-judge panel that said AP would remain excluded until its lawsuit is fully resolved.
The issue began in February when President Trump barred AP journalists from events held in small venues such as the Oval Office and Air Force One.
The move came after AP refused to adopt Trump’s renaming of the “Gulf of Mexico” to “Gulf of America” in its official Stylebook.
That rejection led to the White House pulling the AP’s access.
In April, a district court sided with the AP, stating that the administration couldn’t exclude journalists based on their opinions.
However, the Trump administration appealed the ruling, prompting the appeals court to delay any enforcement of the lower court’s order.
An AP spokesperson expressed frustration, telling The Hill, “We are disappointed by today’s procedural decision but remain focused on the strong district court opinion in support of free speech.”
They added, “We look forward to continuing to produce strong, factual and nonpartisan coverage of the administration.”
Until the appeals court hears the full case in the fall, AP reporters remain largely blocked from close White House coverage—though its photographers have continued to receive access.
Commentary:
It’s not surprising the Associated Press is throwing a fit over losing its White House privileges.
For years, it has operated under the illusion that it has a divine right to presidential access—no matter how skewed or misleading its reporting might be.
The idea that the AP can ignore the elected president’s terminology, then sue when there are consequences, reeks of arrogance.
No news outlet is entitled to a seat in the Oval Office or a place on Air Force One. Access is earned, not demanded.
What the AP calls “nonpartisan coverage” often ends up reading like a press release for one political party.
When you repeatedly push narratives instead of facts, don’t be shocked when the door gets shut in your face.
Maybe it’s time they learn to report rather than editorialize.
The court made the right call by letting the White House maintain control over its media guest list while the case is being settled.
No government office should be forced to accommodate those who openly undermine its authority while expecting VIP treatment.
Frankly, the AP should face a permanent ban. Not only because of its distorted coverage, but because of its attitude.
The level of entitlement is astonishing.
Let’s be clear—freedom of the press does not mean guaranteed physical access to the halls of power.
It means the right to publish without fear of prosecution—not the right to barge into private events and call it a First Amendment crisis when they’re asked to wait outside.
If the AP spent less time grandstanding and more time being accurate, they wouldn’t be in this mess.
Maybe the appeals court ruling will help them rethink their approach—but I wouldn’t count on it.
The Bottom Line:
The Associated Press lost another round in court and remains blocked from close White House coverage—for now.
The legal fight continues, but access won’t be restored until at least fall.
The court’s decision reinforces that press freedom doesn’t mean unlimited access—and entitlement won’t win you a seat at the table.
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