Court Battle Over White House Press Access Escalates

A U.S. appeals court has handed a temporary victory to President Donald Trump, permitting him to limit Associated Press (AP) journalists' access to certain White House events. This decision follows a lawsuit filed by AP, claiming their First Amendment rights were violated by the White House's access restrictions.

The court's 2-1 decision, led by Trump appointees, emphasized the President's control over private workspaces, suggesting a likely win for the White House in the ongoing lawsuit. The restriction was linked to AP's refusal to adopt the term 'Gulf of America' over 'Gulf of Mexico' in their coverage.

Media organizations, including Reuters and Bloomberg, have protested the new policy, which affects the wire services many local and international news outlets depend on for timely reporting on presidential activities. The AP maintains its commitment to longstanding journalistic standards in naming conventions.

(With inputs from agencies.)