Judge denies AP’s request to restore access to Trump's White House

WASHINGTON

A US federal judge on Monday rejected a request from the Associated Press (AP) to temporarily restore its access to presidential events after the agency was banned for not using "Gulf of America" in its reporting, according to a report.

US District Judge Trevor McFadden, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, rejected the news organization’s request for an emergency ruling but scheduled another hearing on the case for March 20, CNN reported.

McFadden said he was not persuaded that the AP was facing “irreparable harm” from the ban, citing the organization’s delay in filing its lawsuit, according to the report.

While denying emergency relief, the judge reportedly noted that AP could still obtain information through White House Correspondents’ Association pool reports.

During the hearing, however, McFadden reportedly described the ban as "discriminatory" and "problematic."

The White House welcomed the judge's rejection of restoring the AP's access, stating: "As we have said from the beginning, 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."

It added that the Trump administration remains committed to transparency while it stands by its decision to "hold the Fake News” accountable."

AP’s lawsuit argues that the ban violates the First Amendment and the Fifth Amendment’s due process clause.

"The Constitution does not allow the government to control speech," it said.

The White House barred AP from presidential events, the Oval Office and Air Force One after the agency continued using "Gulf of Mexico" in its reporting, despite Trump’s executive order renaming it the "Gulf of America."

While the White House argues that AP remains credentialed like other media outlets, AP argues that barring its reporters from the "press pool" coverage, such as presidential questions and answers at the Oval Office, denies access to billions relying on its reporting.

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."