The White House challenges an order of a judge and vetoes the access of AP to the Oval Office

The Associated Press news agency (AP) denounced on Monday that the White House vetoed access to an event of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, in the oval office, despite the fact that a judge ordered to lift the blockade he maintains on that medium.

White House staff denied the entrance of a reporter and a photographer from the US agency to the meeting between Trump and his Salvadoran counterpart, Nayib Bukele.

The White House has since February a veto about AP journalists, in retaliation for the agency’s decision to continue using the term “Gulf of Mexico”, instead of “Gulf of America”, the new name assigned to him Trump.

A federal judge ordered the restrictions suffered by AP last week to access events in the oval office or travel on the presidential plane Air Force One. That order entered into force on Monday.

However, the White House argued that it was not obliged to follow this resolution, because it presented an appeal that has not yet been resolved.

The Court of Appeals of the Columbia district set a hearing next Thursday to study the White House application, while AP struggles to recover its access as soon as possible.

Although AP has access to some sporadic events and always goes to the press conferences of the White House spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, its journalists are prohibited from entering the oval office – where Trump stars in appearances almost daily – and the Air Force One.

AP justifies in its style guide the use of “Gulf of Mexico” because it is the original name it has had for more than 400 years and is a body of water that shares border with Mexico and Cuba. Judge Trevor McFadden ruled that the government cannot punish a means of communication for exercising its right to freedom of expression, armored in the first amendment of the Constitution.