Federal Appeals Court to Hear AP's Access Case Against Trump Administration
A federal appeals court is set to hear a case brought by The Associated Press (AP) against the Trump administration, which argues that news outlets should not be punished for their point of view when it comes to media access. The issue at hand centers on the AP's use of the term "Gulf of Mexico" as its default style in reporting, despite President Trump's decision to rename it the "Gulf of America."
The dispute began in February, when White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt barred AP reporters from participating in the "pool" of journalists who follow the president up close. The administration claimed that this was in response to the AP's institutional decision to continue using its preferred terminology.
However, Julie Pace, AP's executive editor, has argued that the case is not just about the AP's style guide, but about the fundamental right of access to government information and the freedom of the press. "When we talk about press freedom, we are really talking about your freedom," Pace wrote in an op-ed piece. "Reporters ask questions, photographers take pictures, and video journalists record history on your behalf to ensure that you are informed about the things you don’t have the time to unearth, watch or learn about for yourself."
Pace argued that allowing the government to control which journalists can cover the highest office in the land would be a direct attempt to undermine the First Amendment. "Letting the government control which journalists can cover the highest office in the land and setting rules about what those journalists can say or write is a direct attempt to undercut the First Amendment," she wrote.
The White House, however, maintains that it has the authority to determine who can access sensitive areas of the White House and limit media coverage. The Trump administration claims that its decision to reset the tradition of the White House Correspondents' Association, which had been deciding pool access since the Eisenhower administration, is a legitimate attempt to broaden access to include other news outlets.
In support of the AP, nearly four dozen press organizations and news outlets, including ProPublica, Fox News Channel, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, have filed a brief arguing that news outlets should not be chilled in their reporting due to their speech or style guides.
A federal appeals court is set to hear a case brought by The Associated Press (AP) against the Trump administration, which argues that news outlets should not be punished for their point of view when it comes to media access. The issue at hand centers on the AP's use of the term "Gulf of Mexico" as its default style in reporting, despite President Trump's decision to rename it the "Gulf of America."
The dispute began in February, when White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt barred AP reporters from participating in the "pool" of journalists who follow the president up close. The administration claimed that this was in response to the AP's institutional decision to continue using its preferred terminology.
However, Julie Pace, AP's executive editor, has argued that the case is not just about the AP's style guide, but about the fundamental right of access to government information and the freedom of the press. "When we talk about press freedom, we are really talking about your freedom," Pace wrote in an op-ed piece. "Reporters ask questions, photographers take pictures, and video journalists record history on your behalf to ensure that you are informed about the things you don’t have the time to unearth, watch or learn about for yourself."
Pace argued that allowing the government to control which journalists can cover the highest office in the land would be a direct attempt to undermine the First Amendment. "Letting the government control which journalists can cover the highest office in the land and setting rules about what those journalists can say or write is a direct attempt to undercut the First Amendment," she wrote.
The White House, however, maintains that it has the authority to determine who can access sensitive areas of the White House and limit media coverage. The Trump administration claims that its decision to reset the tradition of the White House Correspondents' Association, which had been deciding pool access since the Eisenhower administration, is a legitimate attempt to broaden access to include other news outlets.
In support of the AP, nearly four dozen press organizations and news outlets, including ProPublica, Fox News Channel, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, have filed a brief arguing that news outlets should not be chilled in their reporting due to their speech or style guides.
Freedom of the press is fundamental to a free and open society... don't let them muzzle you! 
When the government gets involved in controlling which journalists can cover, it's like they're trying to silence the watchdogs that keep them accountable. The fact that 4 dozen+ news orgs are backing AP on this shows we all value a fair and free press. 
I don't get why the White House is being so dramatic about this 
. Like, it's just a term, right? It's not like they're trying to change the name of the country 
. And what's up with all these other news outlets jumping on board AP's side? Don't they have their own opinions and styles too? 
It feels like everyone's just trying to protect press freedom, but at the end of the day it's still about getting the story out there 
. Can we just chill and let the journalists do their thing without all the drama? 
gotta think, if the gov can just dictate how we report on them 
, then what's next? They'll be like "Hey, AP, you gotta call it the Gulf of America now or we won't let you get an invite to the White House press corp 
" no way, that's not journalism, that's censorship 
.
... I mean, come on, reporters just want to do their job and get the facts out to the public. It's not like they're trying to be confrontational or biased. The First Amendment is supposed to protect our right to free speech and access to info, and if anyone tries to chill that, it's a problem 
. I mean, what's the point of having a free press if the government can just dictate who gets access and how they report on it? It's like they're trying to control the narrative and stifle dissenting voices 
. The AP is just standing up for its right to use the term "Gulf of Mexico" because it's their style guide, but it's about more than that - it's about holding those in power accountable. I don't think we should be punishing news outlets for taking a stance on something like this 
. The White House can't just decide who gets access to what and how they report it - that's not democracy, that's authoritarianism 
. It's time for the courts to step in and make sure our press freedoms are protected 
.