WASHINGTON, D.C. — A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration is not legally obligated to provide the Associated Press (AP) with special access to White House briefings, marking a victory for the administration in its ongoing battle with the press.
The ruling follows a legal challenge by the AP after its reporters were denied access to certain White House events and interactions with President Donald Trump. The news organization argued that the administration’s selective granting of access violated First Amendment protections for the press.
In response to the ruling, the White House released a statement emphasizing that “asking the President of the United States questions in the Oval Office and aboard Air Force One is a privilege granted to journalists, not a legal right.”
The statement also reiterated the administration’s stance against what it calls “Fake News” and asserted that Trump “will continue to grant an unprecedented level of access to the press.”
The decision underscores ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and major media outlets, with the AP being the latest organization to challenge White House press policies.
The division between the Associated Press and President Trump is a result of a years long confrontation between the organization and the President. Now, the White House claims news agencies that won’t publish the truth won’t be allowed special access. AP refuses to acknowledge the Gulf of America, deemed an official U.S. name designation this year.
