The Associated Press sued three Trump administration officials over access to presidential events, citing freedom of speech in asking a federal judge to stop the 10-day blocking of its journalists.

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.

The AP says its case is about an unconstitutional effort by the White House to control speech — in this case refusing to change its style from the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America,” as President Donald Trump did last month with an executive order.

“The press and all people in the United States have the right to choose their own words and not be retaliated against by the government,” the AP said in its lawsuit, which names White House Chief of Staff Susan Wiles, Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

Supreme Court blocks whistleblower firing

The Supreme Court on Friday temporarily kept on the job at the head of the federal agency that protects government whistleblowers, in its first word on the many legal fights over Trump’s second-term agenda.

The justices said in an unsigned order that Hampton Dellinger, head of the Office of Special Counsel, could remain in his job at least until Feb. 26. That’s when a lower-court order temporarily protecting him expires.

The high court neither granted nor rejected the administration’s plea to remove him. Instead, the court held the request in abeyance, noting the order expires in just a few days.

Trump, Maine governor exchange barbs

Trump had a tense exchange with Maine Gov. Janet Mills over the state’s policies toward transgender youth.

While speaking to governors who were meeting at the White House, Trump asked Mills whether Maine would comply with his executive order barring transgender girls from playing on girls sports teams.

“I’m complying with state and federal laws,” Mills responded.

Trump shot back: “We are the federal law.”

“You better do it because you’re not going to get any federal funding at all if you don’t,” he said, adding that Maine may be a Democratic state, but its residents largely agree with him on the issue.

“I’ll see you in court,” Mills responded.

“Good. I’ll see you in court,” he said. “I look forward to that. That should be a real easy one. And enjoy your life after, governor, because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics.”

Several hours later, the U.S. Department of Education says it is initiating an investigation into the Maine Department of Education over the inclusion of transgender athletes.

Judge blocks executive orders on DEI

A federal judge largely blocked sweeping executive orders from President Donald Trump that seek to end government support for programs promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.

U.S. District Judge Adam Abelson in Baltimore granted a preliminary injunction blocking the administration from terminating or changing federal contracts they consider equity-related.

Abelson found that the orders likely carry constitutional violations, including against free-speech rights.

Trump signed an order his first day in office directing federal agencies to terminate all “equity-related” grants or contracts. He signed a follow-up order requiring federal contractors to certify that they don’t promote DEI.

Judge clears way for Trump’s USAID firings

A federal judge on Friday cleared the way for one of the Trump administration’s remaining steps in its dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development, allowing it to move forward with pulling thousands of USAID staffers off the job in the United States and around the world.

U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols rejected pleas to keep his temporary stay on the government’s plan to remove all but a small fraction of USAID staffers from their posts. His ruling also allows the administration to start the clock ticking on its planned 30-day deadline for USAID workers abroad to move back to the U.S. at government expense.

His ruling comes in a broad lawsuit filed by unions on behalf of the agency staff, especially those at risk of being stranded abroad. The suit describes the Trump administration stalling needed medical evacuations for USAID staffers and spouses overseas, cutting some contractors off from emergency communications, and leaving staffers to flee political violence in Congo without support.

ICE official out over pace of deportations

The top official in charge of carrying out President Donald Trump’s mass deportations agenda has been reassigned amid concerns that the deportation effort isn’t moving fast enough.

Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that Caleb Vitello, the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was “no longer in an administrative role, but is instead overseeing all field and enforcement operations: finding, arresting, and deporting illegal aliens, which is a major priority of the President and Secretary (Kristi) Noem.”

The statement made no mention of why Vitello, a career ICE official with more than two decades on the job, was reassigned or who his replacement will be.

-- From news service reports