D.C. Court Upholds White House Restrictions on Associated Press

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit declined a request by the Associated Press for an en banc review to lift restrictions on its journalists' access to the White House. The July 22 ruling maintains a June 6 decision allowing the administration of President Donald Trump to bar AP reporters from limited spaces, including the Oval Office and Air Force One, while the court considers the full merits of the lawsuit this fall.

The dispute began in February after President Trump restricted access in retaliation for the AP's refusal to adopt the administration's renaming of the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" in its style guide. While a district court ruled in April that the government could not retaliate against the agency's editorial decisions, the appeals court paused that order, citing the president's control over private workspaces.

The AP alleges the restrictions violate the First and Fifth amendments, stating that the press and public have a fundamental right to speak without government retaliation. The administration maintains that granting special access is a discretionary presidential choice and has described the lawsuit as "baseless."

Separately, the White House barred a Wall Street Journal reporter from Air Force One on July 21, citing "fake and defamatory conduct" regarding a story about Jeffrey Epstein.