By Rabia Iclal Turan
WASHINGTON (AA) - A federal judge ordered the White House on Tuesday to fully restore The Associated Press’s access to presidential events.
US District Judge Trevor McFadden, who President Donald Trump appointed in his first term, ruled the government violated the AP’s free speech rights by revoking its access after the outlet declined to follow Trump’s directive to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.”
“If the Government opens its doors to some journalists—be it to the Oval Office, the East Room, or elsewhere—it cannot then shut those doors to other journalists because of their viewpoints,” wrote McFadden.
McFadden delayed enforcement of his ruling for one week to allow time for a possible government appeal.
The AP has been barred from select press pools since Feb. 11, impeding its coverage of Oval Office meetings and travel on Air Force One.
While the White House argues that the AP remains credentialed like other media outlets, the AP argues that barring its reporters from "press pool" coverage such as presidential questions and answers at the Oval Office denies access to billions relying on its reporting and violates the First Amendment of the US Constitution.
The AP has defended its decision on not adopting Trump's name change, explaining in its stylebook that "Trump’s order only carries authority within the United States. Mexico, along with other countries and international bodies, is not obligated to recognize the name change."