AP renews court request for reinstatement after ban from White House press pool

AP senior vice president and general counsel Karen Kaiser, right, and AP vice president and associate general counsel Brian Barrett arrive at the E Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse in the US for a hearing on The Associated Press’ lawsuit against the Trump administration to restore access to presidential events (AP)

A lawyer for The Associated Press has asked a US judge to reinstate the agency’s access to the White House press pool and other official events, saying the Trump administration’s ban is a fundamental attack on freedom of speech and should be overturned.

“AP has now spent 44 days in the penalty box,” said Charles Tobin, speaking on behalf of the news agency.