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By Andrew Goudsward
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Associated Press on Friday sued senior aides to President Donald Trump over a decision by the White House to restrict the news outlet's access to the president and other officials for continuing to refer to the Gulf of Mexico in its coverage.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C., alleges that the White House's decision to bar AP reporters from the Oval Office and Air Force One violates the U.S. Constitution, including First Amendment protections for free speech, by trying to control the language that it uses to report the news.
"The press and all people in the United States have the right to choose their own words and not be retaliated against by the government," the complaint states.
Responding to questions about the lawsuit posed by conservative commentator Mercedes Schlapp, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, speaking during an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference, said: "We feel we are in the right in this position. We are going to ensure that truth and accuracy is present at that White House every single day."
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, in a statement, called the lawsuit "a blatant PR stunt masquerading as a first amendment case."
Trump signed an executive order last month directing the Interior Department to change the name of the body of water long known as the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
The AP, citing editorial standards, said it would continue to use the gulf's established name, while acknowledging Trump's move to change it.
The AP says in its stylebook that the Gulf of Mexico has carried that name for more than 400 years and that it must use identifiers that are easily recognizable for global audiences.
The White House in response barred AP reporters from the Oval Office, where Trump has held several press events since returning to the presidency, and the presidential plane, Air Force One.
Trump's ban prevents the AP's journalists from seeing and hearing him and other top White House officials as they take newsworthy actions or respond in real time to news events.
The move has been criticized by several press freedom groups and the White House Correspondents' Association. Reuters released a statement in support of the AP.
The lawsuit claims the White House's decision retaliated against the AP over coverage decisions, which are protected under the Constitution. It also alleges the AP did not have an opportunity to challenge the White House's decision to bar its access.
The lawsuit names Leavitt, chief of staff Susie Wiles and deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich as defendants.
Wiles and Budowich did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The AP is seeking a temporary restraining order declaring the restrictions unlawful and immediately restoring its access to all areas available to the White House press pool.
(Reporting by Andrew Goudsward; Additional reporting by Jasper Ward; Editing by Scott Malone and Rosalba O'Brien)
