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President Donald J. Trump took to his Truth Social platform on Friday evening to celebrate a big win. A federal appeals court ruled that the White House can exclude the Associated Press from the Oval Office, Mar-a-Lago, and Air Force One.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia granted a stay of the lower court’s April 8 ruling, which found the White House’s ban unconstitutional, in a 2-1 decision.
The appeals court allowed it to proceed, in part.
“We grant in part the government’s motion for a stay pending appeal,” Judge Gregory Katsas and Judge Neomi Rao, both appointed by Trump in his first term, wrote. “The White House is likely to succeed on the merits because these restricted presidential spaces are not First Amendment fora opened for private speech and discussion.”
“The White House therefore retains discretion to determine, including on the basis of viewpoint, which journalists will be admitted. Moreover, without a stay, the government will suffer irreparable harm because the injunction impinges on the president’s independence and control over this private workspaces,” he judges wrote.
Trump announced the victory on his social media platform, writing, “Big WIN over AP today. They refused to state the facts or the Truth on the GULF OF AMERICA. FAKE NEWS!!!”
He also reposted a message that said:
“The AP’s refusal to acknowledge the Gulf of America rebrand is pure media bias— they’d rather cling to outdated labels than respect presidential authority. The courts finally recognized that D.C. bureaucrats don’t get to dictate Oval Office access. If the media won’t report facts neutrally, why should they enjoy privileged access?
“This isn’t about censorship—it’s about accountability. The White House isn’t a press buffet; it’s the seat of American power.
“Prioritize transparency, but never reward deliberate distortion.”
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