Associated Press wins reinstatement to White House events in court ruling

The AP sued White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, pictured, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

A federal judge ordered the White House on Tuesday to restore The Associated Press’s full access to cover presidential events, affirming on First Amendment grounds that the government cannot punish the news organisation for the content of its speech.

US District Judge Trevor N McFadden, an appointee of President Donald Trump, ruled that the government cannot retaliate against the AP’s decision not to follow the president’s executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico.