The U.S. Supreme Court and federal appeals courts have recently issued rulings that affect press freedom and government transparency under the Trump administration. The Supreme Court halted discovery into the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), temporarily blocking the release of internal records related to its operations, with Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson dissenting. Meanwhile, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld the Trump administration's authority to exclude the Associated Press (AP) from certain White House spaces, including the Oval Office and Air Force One. This exclusion stems from AP's refusal to adopt the administration's renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" in its style guide. The appeals court's decision stayed a lower court injunction that had allowed AP access, effectively supporting the administration's veto. The Trump administration and its supporters have characterized these rulings as victories over media bias and protections for democracy, while critics warn of a blow to press freedom. Additionally, a federal court in Maryland had issued a restriction on access to the Social Security Administration under federal privacy laws, but this order was also halted by a higher court. These developments highlight ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and news organizations, as well as debates over transparency and government efficiency.