Trump wins first round of AP lawsuit over news organizations exclusion from White House events

WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Monday rejected the Associated Press’ request for a temporary restraining order requiring the White House to restore the news wire’s access to President Trump — handing his administration an initial win in the legal struggle.Judge Trevor McFadden cited the fact that the AP waited more than a week to file the suit as evidence that there wasn’t a “dire situation” or “irreparable harm” caused by waiting for a trial, according to reporters in the courtroom.The decision came as a surprise — with the AP widely expected by the White House press corps to be favored to win the initial ruling in the standoff triggered by the organization’s refusal to change its style guide to identify the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” after Trump changed the official US name.“As we have said from the beginning, asking the President of the United States questions in the Oval Office and aboard Air Force One is a privilege granted to journalists, not a legal right,” the White House said in a statement after the court hearing.“We stand by our decision to hold the Fake News accountable for their lies, and President Trump will continue to grant an unprecedented level of access to the press,” the spokesperson added.“This is the most transparent Administration in history.”The AP argued in its lawsuit that its free speech and due process rights were being violated by being refused access to Trump’s events, including as members of the daily press pool.McFadden, who was nominated by Trump during his first term, hinted that he believed the AP might have a better shot when the matter goes to trial — another surprise, as that had been viewed by insiders as a shakier stage in litigation for the wire.The judge said at one point he considered it “problematic” that the White House had “just discriminated against one organization.”Initial press-access rulings have favored journalists in the past.Journalists Jim Acosta o...