A federal judge has declined to reinstate the Associated Press’ access to the Trump White House, following a lawsuit filed by the news organization. The AP had been stripped of its credentials earlier this year, after the White House accused the news outlet of publishing “fake news” and being biased against President Trump.
In his ruling, Judge John Doe cited the White House’s right to control access to the press briefing room, and stated that the AP had not provided enough evidence to prove that its First Amendment rights had been violated. The judge also noted that the AP had not shown that it was being treated differently from other news organizations.
The AP had argued that its access to the White House was essential for its reporters to do their jobs effectively, and that the decision to revoke its credentials was politically motivated. The news organization had pointed to several instances where its reporters had been excluded from White House press briefings, and had been denied access to events and interviews with administration officials.
The White House has defended its decision to revoke the AP’s credentials, stating that the news organization had violated its press policies and had shown bias in its reporting. The Trump administration has been vocal in its criticism of the media, often referring to certain news outlets as “fake news” and accusing them of being biased against the President.
The ruling by Judge Doe is likely to reignite the debate over press freedom and access to the White House. Many media organizations have raised concerns about the Trump administration’s treatment of the press, and have called for greater transparency and accountability in the way the White House interacts with journalists.
The AP has not yet announced whether it will appeal the judge’s decision. In the meantime, the news organization will continue to cover the Trump administration from outside the White House, using alternative sources and methods to report on the activities of the President and his administration.