Trump Wins Court Pause on AP Media Access Dispute

A U.S. appeals court has granted President Donald Trump a temporary win in his legal battle with the Associated Press (AP), allowing him to bar the news agency from select White House events. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals paused a lower court ruling that had ordered the Trump administration to restore AP access to venues like the Oval Office and Air Force One.

The 2-1 decision, authored by Judge Neomi Rao and joined by Judge Gregory Katsas—both Trump appointees—stated that forcing the president to admit certain journalists “impinges on the President’s independence and control over his private workspaces.” The ruling suggests the White House is likely to prevail in the ongoing lawsuit.

The AP had filed the suit in February, arguing its exclusion violated the First Amendment’s free speech protections. The White House had restricted AP’s access after it refused to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America,” a term favored by Trump.

Judge Trevor McFadden previously ruled that the administration couldn’t selectively ban reporters based on viewpoint if it allowed others access. However, the appellate court sided with the Trump team’s argument that the president has full discretion over which journalists enter sensitive spaces.

In dissent, Judge Cornelia Pillard, appointed by President Obama, criticized the decision as harmful to press freedom. The AP said it was disappointed and is considering its legal options.

Following the ruling, Trump celebrated on Truth Social, calling it a “Big WIN over AP,” while Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized the administration’s intent to broaden media access—just not favor AP.

The AP and Reuters criticized a broader policy change that reduced wire service access, warning it impacts global news distribution and financial markets reliant on timely coverage.