Conservative

A lawyer for The Associated Press asked a federal judge Thursday 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. The government insisted there was no evidence that AP had been harmed irreparably.

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

The AP and the new administration are at odds over the White House’s removal of AP reporters and photographers from the small group of journalists who follow the president in the pool and other events. Last month, AP sued White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and two other administration officials, demanding reinstatement.

The White House retaliated against the news outlet last month for not following President Trump’s executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico.