A federal judge just dropped the hammer on the Trump White House, ordering it to restore Associated Press reporters’ access to the press pool and presidential spaces like the Oval Office and Air Force One.

District Court Judge Trevor McFadden sided with the AP in a ruling Tuesday, saying the outlet’s exclusion over political disagreements violated the First Amendment. The decision follows a lawsuit filed by the AP in February after it was effectively blacklisted from major White House events.

The AP had been locked out after refusing to adopt the administration’s mandated name change of the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America.” That defiance triggered the Trump team, leading to barred access that quickly escalated into a high-profile First Amendment battle.

“The Constitution requires no less,” McFadden wrote, explaining that if the government opens the door to journalists in restricted areas, it cannot slam it shut on others just because of differing viewpoints.

Importantly, the judge clarified that the ruling doesn’t mean the government must give every journalist access to the president or secure spaces. What it does mean, he said, is that once access is granted to some, it can’t be denied to others solely based on editorial positions or political disagreement.

“It does not prohibit government officials from freely choosing which journalists to sit down with for interviews,” the judge stated. “But if the Government opens its doors to some journalists—be it to the Oval Office, the East Room, or elsewhere—it cannot then shut those doors to other journalists because of their viewpoints.”

The lawsuit named Chief of Staff Susan Wiles, Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich, and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt as defendants. The administration had defended the ban by accusing the AP of “misinformation” for refusing to recognize the newly renamed Gulf.

Budowich said in February, “While their right to irresponsible and dishonest reporting is protected by the First Amendment, it does not ensure their privilege of unfettered access to limited spaces.”

The judge didn’t buy it.

The Trump administration had declared the Gulf of Mexico’s name officially changed to “Gulf of America” via executive order in January, with tech platforms like Apple and Google Maps eventually reflecting the update. But not all media outlets followed suit — and that refusal became the latest flashpoint in the ongoing war between the Trump White House and the press.

Now, thanks to McFadden’s ruling, the AP’s exclusion has been struck down as unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination. The ruling sends a clear message to the administration: you can pick your press strategy, but not your own version of the First Amendment.