The White House blocked a reporter from The Associated Press from an event in the Oval Office in February after the news agency refused to adopt President Donald Trump’s renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Since then, AP has sued three Trump administration officials, citing violations of freedom of speech.
More than a century ago, the 13-person White House press pool began reporting on the president and holding administrations accountable. The Associated Press joined the pool following the shooting of President James A. Garfield. Today, the pool includes news outlets that follow the president nearly everywhere he goes, serving as the eyes and ears for those who can’t gain access. The pool has covered events in the Oval Office and even attended the Super Bowl with Trump.
AP, a global news organization founded in 1846, has long been a source of fact-based reporting. In 1953, AP published its first official stylebook. Since then, journalists around the world have relied on AP style. AP refused to rename the Gulf of Mexico, citing its commitment to consistent, internationally recognized geographic names that remain clear to global audiences, especially in countries where the body of water is still called the Gulf of Mexico.
Journalist Rebecca Aguilar, a seven-time Emmy Award winner with over four decades in journalism, has used her LinkedIn platform to raise awareness about threats to press freedom. She highlighted the importance of AP’s lawsuit, particularly in the pursuit of truth.
“The AP is fighting for freedom of the press. The lawsuit is significant because the AP represents the public like others in the press. Readers, viewers and listeners are looking for the truth. You shut down a fair and free press and the public’s ability to learn the truth. We need real truth-seekers today because news propaganda is pushing a lot of misinformation,” Aguilar said.
AP sued White House Chief of Staff Susan Wiles, Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt for what it called unconstitutional efforts to control speech. Leavitt told AP News that they believed their position was justified.
AP emphasized a fundamental principle of American democracy: the right to speak freely without fear of government retaliation. The lawsuit underscored the essential role of that freedom in preserving democracy.
“The press and all people in the United States have the right to choose their own words and not be retaliated against by the government,” AP stated in the lawsuit.
Tad Matlock, junior environmental science major and political science minor, emphasized a key concern in the debate over press freedom, arguing that the White House’s actions violated First Amendment protections.
“In this case, the press’s freedom guaranteed in the First Amendment is clearly being overlooked. Blocking access to an outlet or excluding them from certain events is unconstitutional, and it brings into question the honesty and transparency of Trump’s administration,” Matlock said.
Toward the end of February, U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden denied an emergency request to immediately restore AP’s access to presidential events. As of now, the White House may still deny AP entry.
Lauren Easton, spokesperson for AP, told AP News they look forward to the next hearing and will continue to stand up for the rights of the press, calling it a fundamental American freedom.
