A federal judge in the United States has ruled that the White House must once again hire sign language interpreters for official press conferences to prevent what he described as a 'potential injustice' to deaf and hard-of-hearing Americans, who were being denied access to critically important information due to the lack of translation.
The Trump administration had canceled the presence of sign language interpreters at press conferences in January of this year, even though they had previously provided live translations of official speeches, including those delivered by Trump himself or White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany. This had allowed deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to follow events and political updates in real-time.
According to the court's decision, the 79-year-old Trump was not comfortable with the idea of interpreters sharing the stage with him during his press conferences, a point the judge noted in his ruling.
This ruling prompted the National Association of the Deaf to file a lawsuit last May, demanding the return of sign language interpreters to White House press conferences to ensure the deaf community's right to public information.
A Clear Violation
In a ruling issued the day before yesterday, Federal Judge Amir Ali, appointed by former President Joe Biden, ruled that the Trump administration's decision to deny deaf people translation services constitutes clear discrimination. It excludes a segment of Americans from accessing updates on issues that impact their lives, such as the economy, public health, and international politics.
The judge stated: 'Given the nature of topics addressed in press conferences, which cover sensitive issues related to markets, medicine, the military, and a wide range of other matters, the court finds that denying deaf Americans access to this information poses a clear, actual, and imminent harm.'
He also pointed out that the absence of sign language interpreters at press conferences likely violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits any form of discrimination against individuals with disabilities, including deafness.
The judge rejected the claim made by the Trump administration, which argued that having interpreters at presidential press conferences was a 'major intrusion' on the administration's rights.
The cancellation of sign language interpreters is seen as part of the Trump administration's 'war' on the rights of people with disabilities, which also included undermining the efforts of the National Association of the Deaf and weakening the federal government's ability to enforce civil rights laws for this group.
During Trump's first term, the National Association of the Deaf had filed a similar lawsuit, seeking permission for sign language interpreters at press conferences, especially during the 'coronavirus' pandemic, which saw daily press conferences on public health.
That lawsuit was voluntarily withdrawn after President Biden took office, as his administration swiftly established an official policy titled 'Communication Services for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Individuals at Presidential Press Conferences.' This led to the provision of sign language interpreters at all presidential events and the broadcast of translated feeds on the White House's official social media channels.
However, Trump's second administration, which began in January 2025, reversed that policy, ending a four-year practice of inclusivity and equal access.
'A Blatant Violation'
In his comment on the ruling to mandate sign language interpreters at the White House, the interim CEO of the National Association of the Deaf, Dr. Beth Bobby Scoggins, stated: 'Deaf and hard-of-hearing people have the full right to be informed by information coming from the White House, just like any other citizen.'
He added: 'Eliminating sign language interpreters is a blatant violation of this right, and we at the National Association of the Deaf will continue our fight to ensure their full participation in the democratic process.'
Judge Ali affirmed that Trump's discomfort with the 'image' of interpreters standing next to him does not justify violating laws that guarantee equality and inclusion.
He explained that using sign language interpreters does not necessarily require them to be on stage with the speaker, as the translation can be easily done remotely without the interpreters needing to be in the same room.
'Daily Beast' attempted to contact the White House for comment on the ruling but did not receive an immediate response.
A Contradiction
Trump had promised during his 2024 election campaign that 'no American will be forgotten or left behind,' yet, according to activists, his actions regarding people with disabilities contradict those promises.
