Trump Can Restrict A.P. Journalists' Access, Appeals Court Rules

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Trump Can Restrict A.P. Journalists’ Access, Appeals Court Rules

By a 2-to-1 vote, a three-judge panel found that the president can bar the news outlet from small settings such as the Oval Office or Air Force One, reversing at least for now a lower court’s ruling.


Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, during a briefing at the White House. The Associated Press fell from favor because it refused to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, as President Trump would like it to be called. Doug Mills/The New York Times

By Zach Montague and Minho Kim
Reporting from Washington
June 6, 2025

A federal appeals court on Friday paused a lower court’s ruling that had required the White House to allow journalists from The Associated Press to participate in covering President Trump’s daily events and travel alongside their peers from other major news outlets. … By a 2-to-1 vote, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit found that many of the spaces in the White House complex or on Air Force One where members of the press have followed the president for decades are essentially invite-only, and not covered by First Amendment protections.

“The White House therefore retains discretion to determine, including on the basis of viewpoint, which journalists will be admitted,” wrote Judge Neomi Rao, a Trump appointee. She was joined by Judge Gregory G. Katsas, who was also appointed by Mr. Trump. … The ruling temporarily lifted the requirement that the White House give A.P. journalists the same access as other news media professionals while the appeal continues. But it was clouded by the fact that the situation facing The Associated Press has shifted considerably since the legal standoff began in February.

{snip}

The ruling on Friday was not the first time Judges Katsas and Rao had dealt a setback to news organizations. … In May, they paused a separate lower court order that required the rehiring of journalists at Voice of America — a government-funded newsroom that Congress established to provide independent reporting to countries with limited press freedom — and resumed federal funding to its aligned newsrooms like Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

But a few days later, the court took up the matter with all its members, voting for a rare rehearing of the case. In a startling reversal, the full court then halted parts of the ruling from its peers, ordering the government to pay around $25 million in funding for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting Networks, which also receive federal funding.

Zach Montague is a Times reporter covering the U.S. Department of Education, the White House and federal courts.

Minho Kim covers breaking news and climate change for The Times. He is based in Washington.

[Wonder Why]

1. Two more "intellectually disabled" judges who obviously can't understand the 1st Amendment.

[Skittles]

2. oh they are well aware

but they are whoring for Trump