A federal appeals court delivered a legal victory to former President Donald Trump by halting a lower court ruling that required his administration to grant Associated Press (AP) reporters access to high-level White House events. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision, granted the Trump administration’s request for a stay, arguing that restricted presidential spaces like the Oval Office are not public forums under the First Amendment. The ruling emphasized the President’s discretion in choosing which journalists may attend such events, even based on viewpoint, to protect the independence of his workspace.

The AP had sued after being excluded from events, claiming retaliation for refusing to use the term “Gulf of America” instead of the traditional “Gulf of Mexico.” Critics, including the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, condemned the ruling as a threat to press freedom. They argued that selective exclusion based on coverage constitutes unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination.