President Donald Trump took a victory lap on Tuesday after a federal judge in Washington, D.C., rejected the Associated Press’ request to temporarily restore its White House access after Trump banned the outlet for continuing to use the incorrect term “Gulf of Mexico” in its reports.
“We’re going to be now calling those shots,” Trump said, sitting behind the Resolute Desk. “As you know, we won that lawsuit right there — see the Gulf of America, which is a beautiful name, most people agree.”
“AP has been terrible,” he continued. “I think they’re radical Left. I think they’re third rate reporters. I know the specific young lady that works on the account is terrible. She’s a radical Left lunatic as far as I’m concerned. They don’t treat us fairly.”
Aside for the Associated Press’ left-wing bias, Trump said that the publication had “no right” to continue using the term “Gulf of Mexico” after his administration named it the “Gulf of America.”
President Trump roasts Fake News @AP: “I think they’re Radical Left. I think they’re third-rate reporters … They don’t treat us fairly.” pic.twitter.com/9fZsAhDHLb
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 25, 2025
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.”
