For the past ten months, Deaf and hard of hearing Americans have been excluded from accessing White House press briefings in American Sign Language (ASL). These briefings deliver critical updates to the American people, covering everything from the economy and healthcare to public safety and the government shutdown.
Update: White House Launches ASL YouTube Channel
(November 12, 2025) The White House has launched a new ASL YouTube channel that streams press briefings with Picture-in-Picture (PIP) ASL interpretation included.
The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) is encouraging the Deaf community to show their support, sharing: “Please subscribe to the channel and watch the videos! These are for you. The White House is watching the numbers to see how many people their messages are reaching.”
The next status report from the White House is due on November 21, 2025.
Image depicts Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt at the White House podium with an American flag and a sign language interpreter inset.
Update: White House Appeals Court Order Requiring ASL Interpreters
(November 7, 2025) The Trump administration is appealing the November 4 injunction that required ASL interpretation for all White House press briefings. The White House argues that the court “legally erred” in issuing the injunction and has asked for clarification on the order’s scope. Here are the key points from the appeal:
- The White House says it will comply only if the court agrees with its interpretation of what the order requires.
- Officials said they are establishing a separate, publicly accessible channel that will display ASL interpretation during press briefings.
- The administration continues to contract ASL interpreters through an existing agreement effective through March 2028, which requires 24 hours’ notice to request services.
- If an interpreter isn’t available with 24 hours’ notice, the White House says it will publish the ASL interpretation later.
- The White House claims the injunction applies only to “publicly announced press briefings.” This would not apply to ceremonies, speeches, or other events where the President may take questions.
- Far more concerning, they also say emergency press briefings (held with less than 24 hours’ notice) would not qualify as “publicly announced” events.
(November 10, 2025) The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) is continuing to advocate for full, consistent ASL access so Deaf and hard of hearing Americans can stay informed and included in national conversations. NAD contends that the injunction does not limit or define “press briefings” or include any exceptions for timing or notice.
Historically, under the Biden administration, ASL interpretation was consistently included for major events, speeches, and emergencies. The ASL interpretation was also displayed directly on the main White House video feed, not on a separate channel. This demonstrates that full, real-time ASL access is entirely feasible. The previous administration’s approach proves that providing interpretation for all major events is both effective and essential for equal access.
Landmark Ruling Reinstates ASL Interpreters
On November 4, 2025, a federal district court ordered the White House to immediately reinstate ASL interpreters for all press briefings held by President Trump or Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. The court emphasized that the unlawful exclusion of Deaf and hard of hearing Americans from White House press briefings “is clear and present harm that the court cannot meaningfully remedy after the fact.”
The Background: The National Association of the Deaf vs. The White House
When President Trump began his second term in January 2025, the White House discontinued ASL interpretation for press briefings and public events.
In response, the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and two Deaf individuals filed a lawsuit in May 2025, arguing that this decision violated federal disability rights law.
This wasn’t NAD’s first challenge to the Trump Administration. Back in 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, NAD successfully sued the Trump White House for failing to include ASL interpreters in health briefings. This earlier case resulted in a court-ordered requirement for ASL interpretation during pandemic updates. The 2025 ruling builds on that 2020 landmark decision, emphasizing the importance of equal access.
Accessibility isn’t Optional, it’s the Law
In a Memorandum Opinion and Order issued on November 4, 2025, Judge Amir H. Ali of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled in favor of NAD and plaintiff Derrick Ford, finding that the White House’s failure to provide ASL interpretation violated Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This law prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in programs conducted by the federal government.
Judge Ali ordered the White House to “immediately begin providing a simultaneous and publicly accessible feed with visible American Sign Language interpretation by a qualified interpreter” for all briefings led by the President or the Press Secretary.
Why isn’t providing captions enough?
At Inclusive Communication Services, we often receive a common question during accessibility consults: “Why isn’t providing captions enough?” This recent civil action case reinforces what the Deaf and hard of hearing community has long emphasized: captions alone do not provide equal access.
The court clarified that American Sign Language (ASL) is a distinct language, and English captions or transcripts cannot replace live interpretation.
Some notable excerpts from the Memorandum Opinion and Order include:
- “ASL and English are two completely distinct languages… English fluency is not widespread in the deaf community.”
- “Providing written English does not enable deaf Americans who communicate in ASL, not English, to receive the information conveyed during a press briefing.”
- “It is not reasonable—indeed it can hardly be called an accommodation at all—to transcribe press briefings into a language that [deaf individuals] do not know.”
The Deaf and hard of hearing community is diverse, with individuals relying on different communication preferences. For many Deaf people, American Sign Language (ASL) is their primary language, and live interpretation is essential for full understanding. Others may prefer accurate English captions as their main form of access. True accessibility recognizes and respects both needs.
A Win for Deaf Access in Government
“The National Association of the Deaf is pleased with the court’s decision and that Deaf and hard of hearing Americans will soon regain access to the same information their government provides to everyone else,” said Bobbie Beth Scoggins, Ed.D., Interim Chief Executive Officer of the NAD.
She added, “We deserve the same timely, direct access to White House briefings as everyone else.” Following this ruling, the Trump White House has been ordered to file a status report by November 7, 2025, updating the court on their compliance.
The Future of ASL Interpretation in Federal Communications
It’s important to note that the ruling applies only to ASL interpretation at briefings conducted by the President and the Press Secretary. Briefings by the Vice President, First Lady, and videos posted to White House websites and social media are not currently required to include ASL interpretation.
The judge declined, at this time, to require interpretation for these briefings or for content provided to news networks and online channels. While this ruling represents an important step forward, it also underscores the need for continued advocacy. Broader accessibility across all government communications remains an ongoing effort.
Big win!!!! Access is better for ALL!