The decision of the US District Judge Trevor McFadden, appointed by Trump, requires that the White House return AP access to the Oval Room, Air Force One and other limited spaces, whenever these spaces are made available to other journalists from the White House press group.
AP was prevented from entering the oval room and the “Air Force One” presidential plane in February for its refusal to comply with Mexico’s new name of the Gulf, renamed “Gulf of America” by an executive order signed by Donald Trump.
The judge concluded that the exclusion for this reason was “contrary to the first amendment” of the US Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression.
The decision of the US District Judge Trevor McFadden, appointed by Trump, requires that the White House return AP access to the Oval Room, Air Force One and other limited spaces, whenever these spaces are made available to other journalists from the White House press group.
“Under the first amendment, if the government opens its doors to some journalists – whether to the oval room, the east room or anywhere – it cannot then close these doors to other journalists because of its points of view. The Constitution requires no less,” wrote McFadden, quoted by
“BACK” DISCRIMINATION
McFadden described the White House discrimination against AP as “blatant” and said that even in highly restricted spaces such as the oval room, such discrimination is prohibited for events other than formal interviews.
Last week tensions between the White House and the association that represents about 900 journalists climbed again, with a new attempt by Donald Trump’s government to control the distribution of the limited number of places in the press room.
The Axios Portal reported that the White House was considering changing the willingness of the 49 seats in the press conference room, which guarantees journalists a fixed place and the possibility of making questions to the press officers or the president.
For decades, the He was responsible for determining the arrangement of places, placing journalists from major television chains, news agencies, newspapers, and radio stations in the first lines, while other media occupy the last lines or have access to the places rotating.
According to who cited a high White House, the US government has already formalized plans for a restructuring of places, which would give more presence to influencers, podcasters and emerging digital vehicle journalists such as axios and punchbowl.
WhCA has a long tradition of independent logistics organization for journalists covering the White House. It was founded in 1914 by journalists from various media in response to an unfounded rumor that a Congress committee wanted to decide who could attend the press conferences of then-President Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921).
Since his first term (2017-2021), Donald Trump has maintained a conflicting relationship with the press, which sometimes describes as “enemies of the people” or “fake news.”
