Washington, DC [US], April 9: The White House Correspondents Association said it supports the judge’s ruling that the White House’s decision to deny the Associated Press access to coverage of presidential events is illegal, which was made Tuesday (US local time)

According to CNN, Judge Trevor McFadden imposed the preliminary injunction against the White House on Tuesday afternoon.

“Under the First Amendment, if the Government opens its doors to some journalists, be it the Oval Office, the East Room, or elsewhere, it cannot then shut those doors to other journalists because of their viewpoints,” the US District Court for the Columbia District wrote in a 41-page document.

“About two months ago, President Donald Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America,” the district court said in its memorandum ruling, describing the circumstances that led to the current event. The same was not true for the Associated Press. The White House severely restricted the AP’s access to highly sought-after, strictly regulated media engagements with the President as a result of that editorial decision. The AP is now suing the White House press secretary, her communications deputy, and the chief of staff (collectively, “the Government”) to get a preliminary injunction that would prevent the Government from excluding it due to its opinion.

“The Court merely declares that the AP’s exclusion has been contrary to the First Amendment, and it enjoins the Government from continuing down that unlawful path,” CNN said in the ruling.

As reported by CNN, AP spokeswoman Lauren Easton stated in a statement, “We are gratified by the court’s decision,” “The decision today upholds the public’s and press’s basic right to free speech without fear of reprisal from the government. The U.S. Constitution guarantees this freedom to every American. We’re excited to keep giving billions of people worldwide unbiased, impartial, and accurate coverage of the White House.”

“The WHCA board applauds today’s decision supporting our country’s foundational ideal that the government should not be able to control the independent media that covers it,” the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) said in a statement about AP’s decision. We are overjoyed that Associated Press photographers, writers, and video journalists will once again be permitted to attend presidential events after being barred by the administration for using offensive language. Together with the other members of the WHCA, this will enable the AP to keep up its impartial and astute coverage of the president.

CNN said McFadden stated that his decision does not stop the White House from denying the AP access to certain presidential events and locations for “permissible reasons.”

“The Government is not required by the Court to provide the AP with ongoing access to the East Room, the Oval Office, or any other media event. It doesn’t give the AP preferential treatment,” he wrote. “But it cannot be treated worse than its peer wire services either.”