Latest news with #APStylebook
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump White House To Appeal Judge's Decision Siding With Associated Press In Gulf Of America Case
The Trump administration filed a notice of appeal today on a judge's decision that the White House could not restrict the Associated Press from the Oval Office and other events as punishment over the news organization's content decisions. The Justice Department's Brian Hudak filed the notice on behalf of the two plaintiffs in the case, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich. More from Deadline Media Stocks Skyrocket With Dow Up 2,700 Points As Donald Trump Pauses Latest Round Of Tariffs Donald Trump Hits 90-Day Pause On Tariffs On 75 Countries, Raises Them On China Lawmakers Reintroduce Bill To Regulate Use Of AI Digital Replicas And Limit Deepfakes The administration banned the AP's White House reporters and photographers from pooled events in the Oval Office as well as larger events in areas like the East Room. Leavitt, Budowich and Trump himself were explicit that the reason for the restriction was because the AP Stylebook did not change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, a Trump appointee, ruled that the White House was violating the First Amendment by doing so. McFadden wrote that 'the Court simply holds that under the First Amendment, if the Government opens its doors to some journalists—be it to the Oval Office, the East Room, or elsewhere—it cannot thenshut those doors to other journalists because of their viewpoints. The Constitution requires noless.' In granting the AP a preliminary injunction, McFadden ordered that the White House rescind their 'viewpoint-based denial' of the AP's access. He gave the White House until April 13 to seek an emergency stay from a higher court and to prepare to implement the preliminary injunction. Best of Deadline 'The Last Of Us' Season 2: Everything We Know So Far Book-To-Movie Adaptations Coming Out In 2025 Everything We Know About 'Only Murders In The Building' Season 5 So Far
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge orders Trump White House to restore AP access
A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the Trump administration to restore The Associated Press's access to key White House spaces after it exiled AP reporters over the organization's refusal to use 'Gulf of America' in its popular stylebook. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, an appointee of President Trump, directed the White House to resume allowing the AP into the Oval Office, Air Force One and other limited spaces when they're made available to other press pool members. He also granted the AP's request for access to events open to all credentialed White House reporters, though he listed several caveats. 'This injunction does not limit the various permissible reasons the Government may have for excluding journalists from limited-access events. It does not mandate that all eligible journalists, or indeed any journalists at all, be given access to the President or nonpublic government spaces. It does not prohibit government officials from freely choosing which journalists to sit down with for interviews or which ones' questions they answer. And it certainly does not prevent senior officials from publicly expressing their own views,' McFadden wrote. 'No, the Court simply holds that under the First Amendment, if the Government opens its doors to some journalists—be it to the Oval Office, the East Room, or elsewhere—it cannot then shut those doors to other journalists because of their viewpoints,' he wrote. 'The Constitution requires no less.' After his initial ruling, the judge paused the order from going into effect until April 13, to give the Trump administration time to appeal. The stay will dissolve after that, unless a higher court steps in. The AP sued three top White House officials earlier this year after its journalists were banned from the Oval Office and Air Force One because the outlet refused to change its stylebook guidelines to use 'Gulf of America' after Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico. Scores of news organizations use the AP Stylebook for guidance on spelling, grammar and how to refer to certain people and places, to help ensure such references are widely understood in the U.S. and globally. Charles Tobin, a lawyer for the AP, said during a hearing last month that the news organization was in the 'penalty box' for crossing Trump, which he called 'abject retaliation.' 'The White House hasn't hidden that,' Tobin said. 'They've doubled down.' He warned that the AP's continued exclusion from the press pool — the small group of journalists who document the president each day — could have a chilling effect on the rest of the news industry, even if the AP's own reporters wouldn't say the president's 'bullying' had chilled them because of their commitment to independent journalism. An AP reporter and photographer has traditionally been part of the president's press pool every day, both at the White House and when the president is traveling. Justice Department lawyer Brian Hudak said the AP is still 'eligible' to be selected for the press pool; its reporters just weren't being selected, because they 'refuse to adhere to what the president believes is the law.' 'There isn't a right for the AP to have the White House agree with its news,' Hudak said. McFadden noted in his order that all members of the original press pool have continued using 'Gulf of Mexico' in their reporting, while noting Trump's order. 'So why has the AP alone been penalized? The AP claims, and the Court now finds, that the Government has singled out the AP because of its refusal to update the Gulf's name in its Stylebook, an influential writing and editing guide,' the judge wrote. He called the White House's exclusion of AP 'brazen,' noting that high-ranking officials have repeatedly said they restricted its reporters' access 'precisely because' of its viewpoint. Two AP journalists took the stand during the March 27 hearing, detailing what they called 'diminished' and delayed reporting because of the ban. Evan Vucci, the AP's top photographer in Washington, testified that he's gone from 'being in every single event to not being able to do anything.' AP chief White House correspondent Zeke Miller said the outlet has been 'barred time and again because of our journalism.' AP spokesperson Lauren Easton said the decision affirms the fundamental right to 'speak freely without government retaliation.' 'This is a freedom guaranteed for all Americans in the U.S. Constitution,' she said. 'We look forward to continuing to provide factual, nonpartisan and independent coverage of the White House for billions of people around the world.' Updated at 5:40 p.m. EDT Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
08-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Judge orders Trump White House to restore AP access
A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the Trump administration to restore the Associated Press's access to key White House spaces after it exiled AP reporters over the organization's refusal to use 'Gulf of America' in its popular stylebook. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, an appointee of President Trump, directed the White House to resume allowing the AP into the Oval Office, Air Force One and other limited spaces when they're made available to other press pool members. The judge also granted the AP's request for returned access to events open to all credentialed White House reporters, though it listed several caveats. 'This injunction does not limit the various permissible reasons the Government may have for excluding journalists from limited-access events. It does not mandate that all eligible journalists, or indeed any journalists at all, be given access to the President or nonpublic government spaces. It does not prohibit government officials from freely choosing which journalists to sit down with for interviews or which ones' questions they answer. And it certainly does not prevent senior officials from publicly expressing their own views,' McFadden wrote. 'No, the Court simply holds that under the First Amendment, if the Government opens its doors to some journalists—be it to the Oval Office, the East Room, or elsewhere—it cannot then shut those doors to other journalists because of their viewpoints,' he wrote. 'The Constitution requires no less.' The AP sued three top White House officials earlier this year after its journalists were banned from the Oval Office and Air Force One because the outlet refused to change its stylebook guidelines to use 'Gulf of America' after Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico. Scores of news organizations use the AP Stylebook for spelling, grammar and guidelines on how to refer to certain people and places, so that such references are widely understood in the U.S. and globally. Charles Tobin, a lawyer for the AP, said during a hearing last week that the news organization was in the 'penalty box' for crossing Trump, which he called 'abject retaliation.' 'The White House hasn't hidden that,' Tobin said. 'They've doubled down.' He warned that the AP's continued exclusion from the press pool — the small group of journalists who document the president each day — could have a chilling effect on the rest of the news industry, even if AP's own reporters wouldn't say the president's 'bullying' had chilled them because of their commitment to independent journalism. An AP reporter and photographer has traditionally been part of the president's press pool every day, both at the White House and when the president is traveling. DOJ lawyer Brian Hudak said the AP is still 'eligible' to be selected for the press pool; its reporters just weren't being selected, because they 'refuse to adhere to what the president believes is the law.' 'There isn't a right for the AP to have the White House agree with its news,' said DOJ lawyer Brian Hudak. Two AP journalists took the stand during the March 27 hearing, detailing what they called 'diminished' and delayed reporting because of the ban. Evan Vucci, the AP's top photographer in Washington, testified that he's gone from 'being in every single event to not being able to do anything.' AP chief White House correspondent Zeke Miller said the outlet has been 'barred time and again because of our journalism.'
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
AP journalists testify over White House revoking access
A pair of top journalists for The Associated Press covering the White House testified on Thursday to the damage caused to the outlet by President Trump's decision to revoke its access to key West Wing spaces over the organization's refusal to use 'Gulf of America' in its widely used stylebook. AP chief White House correspondent Zeke Miller and Evan Vucci, the AP's top photographer in Washington, D.C., described what they called 'diminished' and delayed reporting because of the administration's banning them from being part of the small group of journalists who document the president each day, otherwise known as the press pool. The pair took the stand during a court hearing over whether to restore the wire service's access to the pool, which is allowed in certain areas of the White House with limited space such as the Oval Office and their access to traveling with the president on Air Force One. AP has a long tradition of having a reporter and photographer in the press pool each and every day both at the White House and when the president is traveling. 'AP's barred time and again because of our journalism,' Miller said in open court Thursday. The AP sued three top White House officials last month over the ban after its reporters were barred from the Oval Office and Air Force One because the outlet refused to change its stylebook guidelines to use 'Gulf of America' after Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico. News organizations across the industry use the AP Stylebook for spelling, grammar and guidelines on how to refer to certain people and places in aim of making such references widely understood both in the U.S. and worldwide. The AP and press freedom groups have argued the Trump administration is, in effect, trying to suppress coverage it does not view as favorable enough and send a chilling effect through the mainstream media. Miller testified that on Feb. 11, he was summoned to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's office, where she informed him she was 'just the messenger' but the president was not pleased with AP's decision not to conform to the new reference of Gulf of America. Trump had decided to bar the AP from entering the Oval Office until it changed its policy, Leavitt told Miller. AP's access was further limited from there. After she told Miller of Trump's decision, Leavitt announced the White House would take control of the press pool, a job usually handled by the White House Correspondents' Association. She said the White House would decide which outlets would be allowed in the pool. So far, the White House has maintained the same rotation of news outlets that the correspondents' association had but added two more spots — one for television and another for new media, which are typically filled with right-leaning news organizations. Though the administration has argued in court filings that AP remains eligible to be part of the press pool, it has yet to be selected to serve in the press pool since the White House took control of the body. Both AP journalists testified their reporting lacks the completeness it did when they were granted full access. Vucci recalled his physical presence traveling with former President George W. Bush as being key to his status as the only journalist to photograph the Iraqi journalist who threw a shoe at Bush. 'We don't know what we're not going to see,' Miller said. Lawyers for the AP noted that Vucci captured an 'iconic piece of history' last summer — the widely seen image of Trump pumping his fist after an assassination attempt in Butler, Pa., which they noted Trump used as the cover of his own book 'Save America.' But since AP's access was revoked, Vucci said he's gone from 'being in every single event to not being able to do anything.' He called the AP's photojournalism the 'gold standard' and warned that Trump's ban on the wire service has drastically altered its ability to gather a historical record. Vucci pointed to an Oval Office meeting between Trump, Vice President Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last month, which went off the rails and drove headlines for days. No American AP photojournalists were allowed in the meeting, though a Ukrainian videographer who freelances for the AP joined with that country's envoy. 'When we get our butt kicked, you know immediately — and that happened this day,' he said, citing long delays in receiving images from poolers in the room instead of the AP photographers themselves, which also impacts competition. On cross-examination, Justice Department lawyer Brian Hudak pointed to White House events where foreign AP photojournalists or photographers with licensing agreements were allowed to attend. AP's journalists and lawyers, however, noted that print journalists were not allowed to attend all the events and pushed back against the government's contention that they were allowed at all tarmac events, when the president's plane took off or landed. 'As far as journalism goes, it's 360,' Vucci said. 'You've got to be there.' Miller also described an apparent chilling effect on other journalists who cover the White House, describing a 'softening of tone and tenor' in questioning the president and other officials. Aside from AP, however, the same contingent of reporters at national independent news outlets continue to populate the White House briefing room during Leavitt's briefing and ask the president questions during remarks he gives from the Oval Office and Roosevelt Room, though both tend to give deference now to publications seen as more friendly. Charles Tobin, a lawyer for the AP, argued that the wire service's reporters would not say that the president's 'bullying' had chilled them because of their commitment to independent journalism. But he urged the judge to consider that the First Amendment protects journalists who both stand by their convictions or 'succumb.' The AP is meanwhile waging a pressure campaign against the White House outside the courtroom. In an editorial published this week in The Wall Street Journal, AP Executive Editor Julie Pace said the wire service 'pursued every possible avenue to resolve the issue before taking legal action.' 'If we don't step up to defend Americans' right to speak freely, who will?' she asked. 'Today the U.S. government wants to control the AP's speech. Tomorrow it could be someone else's.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
27-03-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
AP journalists testify over White House revoking access
A pair of top journalists for The Associated Press covering the White House testified on Thursday to the damage caused to the outlet by President Trump's decision to revoke its access to key West Wing spaces over the organization's refusal to use 'Gulf of America' in its widely used stylebook. AP Chief White House Correspondent Zeke Miller and Evan Vucci, the AP's top photographer in Washington, D.C., described what they called 'diminished' and delayed reporting because of the administration's banning them from being part of the small group of journalists who document the president each day, otherwise known as the press pool. The pair took the stand during a court hearing over whether to restore the wire service's access to the pool, which is allowed in certain areas of the White House with limited space such as the Oval Office and their access to traveling with the president on Air Force One. AP has a long tradition of having a reporter and photographer in the press pool each and everyday both at the White House and when the president is traveling. 'AP's barred time and again because of our journalism,' Miller said in open court on Thursday. The AP sued three top White House officials last month over the ban after its reporters were barred from the Oval Office and Air Force One because the outlet refused to change its stylebook guidelines to use 'Gulf of America' after Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico. News organizations across the industry use the AP Stylebook for spelling, grammar and guidelines on how to refer to certain people and places in aim of making such references widely understood both in the U.S. and worldwide. The AP and press freedom groups have argued the Trump administration is, in effect, trying to suppress coverage it does not view as favorable enough and send a chilling effect through the mainstream media. Miller testified that on Feb. 11, he was summoned to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt's office, where she informed him she was 'just the messenger' but the president was not pleased with AP's decision not to conform to the new reference of 'Gulf of America.' Trump had decided to bar the AP from entering the Oval Office until it changed its policy, Leavitt told Miller. AP's access was further limited from there. After she told Miller of Trump's decision, Leavitt announced the White House would take control of the press pool, a job usually handled by the White House Correspondents Association. She said the White House would decide which outlets would be allowed in the pool. So far, the White House has maintained the same rotation of news outlets that the correspondents association had, but added two more spots – one for television and another for new media, which are typically filled with right-leaning news organizations. Though the administration has argued in court filings that AP remains eligible to be part of the press pool, it has yet to be selected to serve in the press pool since the White House took control of the body. Both AP journalists testified their reporting lacks the completeness it did when they were granted full access. Vucci recalled his physical presence traveling with former President George W. Bush as being key to his status as the only journalist to photograph the Iraqi journalist who threw a shoe at Bush. 'We don't know what we're not going to see,' Miller said. Lawyers for the AP noted that Vucci captured an 'iconic piece of history' last summer — the widely seen image of Trump pumping his fist after an assassination attempt in Butler, Pa., which they noted Trump used as the cover of his own book 'Save America.' But since AP's access was revoked, Vucci said he's gone from 'being in every single event to not being able to do anything.' He called the AP's photojournalism the 'gold standard' and warned that Trump's ban on the wire service has drastically altered its ability to gather a historical record. Vucci pointed to an Oval Office meeting between Trump, Vice President Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last month, which went off the rails and drove headlines for days. No American AP photojournalists were allowed in the meeting, though a Ukrainian videographer who freelances for the AP joined with that country's envoy. 'When we get our butt kicked, you know immediately – and that happened this day,' he said, citing long delays in receiving images from poolers in the room instead of the AP photographers themselves, which also impacts competition. On cross-examination, DOJ lawyer Brian Hudak pointed to White House events where foreign AP photojournalists or photographers with licensing agreements were allowed to attend. AP's journalists and lawyers, however, noted that print journalists were not allowed to attend all the events and pushed back against the government's contention that they were allowed at all tarmac events, when the president's plane took off or landed. 'As far as journalism goes, it's 360,' Vucci said. 'You've got to be there.' Miller also described an apparent chilling effect on other journalists who cover the White House, describing a 'softening of tone and tenor' in questioning the president and other officials. Aside from AP, however, the same contingent of reporters at national independent news outlets continue to populate the White House briefing room during Leavitt's briefing and ask the president questions during remarks he gives from the Oval Office and Roosevelt Room, though both tend to give deference now to publications seen as more friendly. Charles Tobin, a lawyer for the AP, argued that the wire service's reporters would not say that the president's 'bullying' had chilled them because of their commitment to independent journalism. But he urged the judge to consider that the First Amendment protects journalists who both stand by their convictions or 'succumb.' The AP is meanwhile waging a pressure campaign against the White House outside the courtroom. In an editorial published this week in the Wall Street Journal, AP executive editor Julie Pace said the wire service 'pursued every possible avenue to resolve the issue before taking legal action.' 'If we don't step up to defend Americans' right to speak freely, who will?' she asked. 'Today the U.S. government wants to control the AP's speech. Tomorrow it could be someone else's.'
