AP sues Trump officials after being barred from some White House events

The Associated Press (AP) has sued three White House officials for blocking US President Donald Trump from attending an event.

The case was filed in a federal court in Washington on Friday (February 21).

The AFP news agency reported that AP, in a lawsuit filed in federal court in Washington, said that blocking the US president from attending the event violated the First Amendment to the US Constitution. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of expression.

After taking office as president, Trump signed an executive order to change the name of the 'Gulf of Mexico' to 'Gulf of the Americas'. The AP refused to follow that order. Since then, AP journalists have not been allowed to enter the White House for 10 days.

AP reporters are not even allowed to enter Air Force One, the plane carrying the US president.

The news agency said it had filed a lawsuit against three Trump administration officials to uphold the right to freedom of the press guaranteed by the US Constitution.

The AP reported that the White House has ordered the Associated Press to use certain words in its coverage or face indefinite ban.

It said that the press and all people in the United States have the right to choose their own words and not to be retaliated against by the government.