WASHINGTON, D.C. - A federal judge has ordered the White House to restore The Associated Press' access to presidential events, ruling that the government's ban violated First Amendment protections [1][2].

U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden issued the preliminary injunction on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, stating that the government cannot discriminate against journalists based on their viewpoints. The ruling gives the White House one week to respond or appeal [1].

The case stemmed from the AP's refusal to adopt President Trump's executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Since February 11, the AP has been blocked from covering presidential events in the Oval Office and Air Force One [3].

'Under the First Amendment, 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 in his ruling [1].

The ruling clarifies that while the government isn't required to grant the AP permanent or preferential access, it cannot treat the organization worse than peer wire services. Government officials retain the right to choose which outlets receive interviews or which questions to answer at press conferences [2].

The AP has reported significant operational impacts from the ban, including delayed news transmission and the loss of a $150,000 advertising contract. The organization's chief White House correspondent and photographer testified about these challenges during a March 27 hearing [3].

The White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who was named in the lawsuit along with other administration officials, has not yet commented on the ruling [1].