On March 5, 2025, the Knight Institute filed an amicus brief in The Associated Press v. Budowich, a case challenging the exclusion of The Associated Press from the White House press pool. The White House banned the AP from White House and Air Force One briefings because of the news organization’s decision to refer to the Gulf of Mexico by its historical name rather than the “Gulf of America.”

The Knight Institute’s brief argues that the White House’s decision to ban the AP from participating in the press pool violates the First Amendment because it is a viewpoint-based exclusion from a limited public forum. The brief further argues that the ban will chill speech by other members of the White House press pool.

Status: On April 8, 2025, the D.C. District Court granted the plaintiff's motion for a preliminary injunction. The government appealed the decision on April 9, 2025. 

Case Information: The Associated Press v. Budowich, No. 1:25-cv-00532 (D.D.C.), No. 25-5109 (D.C. Cir.).