Judge Sides With White House Over AP, Won’t Overturn Briefing Room Ban

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., declined the Associated Press’ request to temporarily restore its White House access after President Donald Trump banned the outlet for continuing to use “Gulf of Mexico” in its reports.

U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, who was appointed by Trump in 2017, turned down the Associated Press’ request for a temporary restraining order, writing that the AP “can get access to the same information” from pool coverage rather than attending each White House event directly.

Judge McFadden explained that he was not convinced the AP faced “irreparable harm” from the current restrictions, per CNN.

He noted that the AP was only being barred from “more private areas” of the administration, such as Air Force One and the Oval Office.

The White House celebrated the decision in a press release, “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.”

“We stand by our decision to hold the Fake News accountable for their lies, and President Trump will continue to grant an unprecedented level of access to the press. This is the most transparent Administration in history.”

https://t.co/6GGzAGz6NE pic.twitter.com/qKbMZmWL4S

— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) February 24, 2025

A more extensive legal debate over the ban will unfold in the coming weeks, with McFadden scheduling a hearing for March 20th, with the court expected to decide whether the restriction should remain in place longer term.