AP takes legal action against White House employees due to access restrictions

(MENAFN) The Associated Press (AP) has filed a lawsuit against three senior White House officials, accusing them of violating press freedoms by restricting access to President Donald Trump’s activities. The lawsuit was filed on Friday in the US District Court in Washington, DC, after the White House barred AP reporters from covering events at the White House, Mar-a-Lago, and traveling on Air Force One.

The restrictions were imposed after AP refused to adopt the White House's renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to "Gulf of America" in its reporting. AP argued that it must use internationally recognized names for global clarity and rejected the White House's directive.

In response, White House officials, including Chief of Staff Susan Wiles, Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich, and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, were named as defendants in the lawsuit. AP's complaint asserts that the White House’s actions undermine the First Amendment and press freedom.

Trump had previously criticized media organizations for bias and “fake news,” while other outlets, including CNN, Fox News, and The New York Times, expressed solidarity with AP in supporting press access.

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