On Monday, a federal judge is set to review a request made by the Associated Press (AP) concerning the barring of its journalists by the administration for using the term "Gulf of Mexico."
U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, appointed by Trump, will preside over the AP's motion for a temporary restraining order at 3 p.m. ET (2000 GMT) in Washington federal court.
The AP filed a lawsuit against three senior Trump aides, arguing that the administration's decision violates the First Amendment by attempting to control the language used in news reporting. The AP seeks immediate restoration of access for its journalists to all areas available to the White House press pool.
White House spokesman Steven Cheung labeled the lawsuit a "blatant PR stunt." White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the administration's actions during an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference, stating, "We feel we are in the right in this position."
Leavitt, along with Chief of Staff Susan Wiles and Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich, are named as defendants in the lawsuit. The White House officials have not responded to comments on the matter.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment on Sunday.
Last month, Trump signed an executive order to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
Despite the name change efforts, the AP reaffirmed its commitment in January to continue using the traditional name for the gulf while acknowledging Trump's initiative. In response, the White House imposed a ban on AP reporters, preventing them from covering real-time news events involving Trump and other top White House officials.
The White House Correspondents' Association and various press freedom groups criticized the administration's actions, with Reuters issuing a statement supporting the AP.