Freedom of Press in the Trump Administration

Following years of freedom of the press within the White House, Trump places a ban against the AP Newsroom's press access I https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/news-access-to-press-events/

Throughout the past few months, the AP Newsroom and President Donald Trump have been battling in court over press access. Reaching the U.S. Court of Appeals, courts on both lower levels and above have come to decisions that Trump wrongfully punished the news company.

Months ago, AP News was notified of the press access being revoked due to the punishment by Trump. The President came to a decision of the access due to the newswire’s refusal of renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

Trump’s refusal of White House access is an issue with the First Amendment: Freedom of the Press. As the press is allowed to write as they please, as long as it does not fall under libel, calling the Gulf of Mexico by that name does not go against the Press’s rights. Giving punishment of such intensity does not fit the lack of crime that was commited by the Associate Press. As the case continues to make its way through the Court of Appeals, it is likely the AP will be favored under the First Amendment.

The AP is not the only news source attacked by the Trump administration. It would be shocking to see any change in Trump’s behavior to journalists going forward.

Works Cited: 

https://www.ap.org/media-center/ap-in-the-news/2025/appeals-court-hands-ap-an-incremental-loss-in-its-attempt-to-regain-its-access-to-trump-events/