Fri Feb 21 21:45:02 UTC 2025: **Associated Press Sues Trump Administration Over Access Restrictions**
Washington, D.C. – The Associated Press (AP) filed a lawsuit on Friday against three top Trump administration officials, alleging a violation of the First Amendment. The lawsuit stems from the White House’s decision to bar AP journalists from presidential events and Air Force One travel for refusing to adopt President Trump’s renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.”
The AP argues that the White House’s actions constitute an unconstitutional attempt to control speech and editorial independence. The lawsuit names White House Chief of Staff Susan Wiles, Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich, and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt as defendants. President Trump himself publicly confirmed the ban, stating it would remain in place until the AP accepts his preferred terminology.
The White House Correspondents Association also voiced its opposition, with approximately 40 news organizations signing a letter urging a reversal of the policy. The AP’s lawsuit seeks an immediate court order to restore its access to White House events. The case is currently before a U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.
First Piper 