Federal judge rejects AP's bid to overturn White House ban on outlet's access to key areas

A federal judge on Monday denied the Associated Press' request to immediately restore its access to select areas of the White House, after the administration pulled the outlet's access to the Oval Office and Air Force One earlier this month.

The ruling is the latest development in a weeks-long feud between the parties over the AP's refusal to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as "Gulf of America." AP has maintained it will not change its policy because it is an international organization and did not want to confuse its readers.

U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, noted that although the White House has revoked the outlet's access to certain events and areas, the AP still retains its credentials to the White House complex. 

“We’re not dealing with a denial of access to all press areas completely,” McFadden said as he turned down the AP’s request for a temporary restraining order. “This is an important factual distinction.”

Lawyers for the Associated Press noted that the feud has escalated in recent days to include the outlet's access to certain press briefings, including Trump's briefing with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday.

McFadden noted that although he was denying the restraining order request, the White House could lose its larger battle if the motivation behind its decision was viewpoint discrimination, and encouraged the White House to reconsider its position, Politico reported.

The ruling comes after the outlet sued the Trump administration over the actions, and the White House Correspondents Association wrote a letter to the administration requesting it change its policy on AP.

“It feels a little odd that the White House is somehow bound by the decisions organizations make as to who can and cannot come into the Oval Office,” the judge said. “Seems to me the White House could decide to throw out the White House Correspondents Association altogether."

Another hearing has been set for March 20, and both sides were ordered to provide additional details in the case, particularly about access to presidential events in larger areas such as the East Room, and spaces on the White House grounds.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.