The National Association of the Deaf (NAD), a nonprofit advocacy group, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for discontinuing the practice of providing American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation during White House press briefings.
The lawsuit, filed in a Washington, D.C., federal court on Wednesday, does not reference any specific policy document. Instead, the plaintiffs contend that the previously provided ASL interpretations were abruptly terminated in January 2025 without any explanation from the White House.
The 25-page complaint alleges that the administration’s actions violate the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the First Amendment guarantees of free speech and the right to petition the government, and the Fifth Amendment guarantee of equal protection under the law. The lawsuit provides a historical overview of the provision of ASL services by the White House.
In 2020, NAD successfully sued the first Trump administration, compelling the government to provide ASL interpretation during COVID-19 press briefings. The court in that case found that closed captions did not offer meaningful access to White House press briefings for deaf individuals who rely on ASL, thereby establishing a likelihood of success for the plaintiffs’ claim under federal law. By October 2020, the first Trump administration began providing ASL interpretation for all COVID-19-related briefings.
The Biden administration expanded upon this practice, providing in-frame, qualified ASL interpreters for all press briefings, not limited to those concerning COVID-19. These interpreters were visible on the White House’s official communication channels, including WH.gov/live, Facebook, Twitter/X, and YouTube, through the use of picture-in-picture technology. NAD lauded the Biden administration’s efforts as groundbreaking, marking the first time that deaf Americans who communicate via ASL had real-time, meaningful access to all White House briefings. This policy was formalized in an official document aimed at ensuring effective communication at Presidential briefings with people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. In light of this policy, NAD voluntarily dismissed its original lawsuit.
The current lawsuit contends that the Trump administration is disregarding this established policy. It notes that President Donald Trump has held numerous live events and his press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, has conducted at least 26 press conferences without ASL interpretation. NAD alleges that the White House is not complying with the policy implemented by the prior administration and is not following any of the guidelines or best practices developed by knowledgeable White House officials. The lawsuit further states that even posted videos of these events lack ASL interpretation, with some containing only auto-generated closed captions on YouTube, which the plaintiffs argue are inadequate substitutes for ASL interpretation due to the distinct nature of ASL as a complete and complex language with its own vocabulary, grammar, and syntax, differing significantly from English. The lawsuit emphasizes that many deaf individuals cannot read or understand written English effectively, and that tone and context are often lost in written captions.
The lawsuit alleges that the government is in violation of the Rehabilitation Act, which prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in programs or activities conducted by any Executive agency. NAD also asserts a First Amendment claim based on the “right to receive” speech, arguing that the Trump administration’s refusal to provide in-frame, qualified ASL interpretation prevents deaf individuals from accessing and receiving communications from their elected representatives. Additionally, an ancillary First Amendment claim suggests that the lack of ASL interpretation hinders the plaintiffs’ ability to fully understand what to petition the government for. Finally, the lawsuit includes a Fifth Amendment equal protection claim, asserting that the Trump administration is intentionally treating deaf individuals differently from hearing individuals by refusing to provide ASL interpretation at White House press briefings and similar events.
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