The Associated Press is asking a federal judge to step in following a move by the White House to remove the spot typically reserved for wire services from the press pool covering President Trump.

A lawyer for President Donald Trump's administration argued on Thursday that Trump has broad authority over media access to the White House and asked a U.S. federal appeals court to keep a judge from lifting restrictions the White House imposed on the Associated Press.

A federal appeals court panel seemed split over The Associated Press’s exclusion from certain White House spaces as it weighs whether to halt an order directing the Trump administration to restore the wire service’s access to such areas.