Advocates For Deaf Sue WH To Provide ASL Interpreters

Just in via press release:

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) filed a lawsuit today to compel the White House to immediately resume providing American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters during broadcasts of their press briefings to make them accessible to deaf and hard of hearing people. Two deaf individuals—Derrick Ford and Matthew Bonn—join NAD in this lawsuit.

This is not the first time the NAD has sued the White House for access to press briefings. In September 2020, the NAD obtained a landmark court ruling ordering the White House to provide interpreters for all coronavirus-related briefings.

The lawsuit was resolved when the White House implemented a policy to provide ASL interpreters for all press briefings conducted by the President, Vice President, First Lady, Second Gentleman, or the White House Press Secretary.

Since that settlement, the White House provided ASL interpreters, including Certified Deaf Interpreters (CDIs), for all public briefings, press conferences, and related events by the President, the Vice President, and the White House Press Secretary.

These interpreters were visible on the White House’s official communication channels, including WH.gov/live, Facebook, Twitter/X, and YouTube. The White House’s press briefings were thus fully accessible for deaf and hard of hearing people.

However, this practice abruptly ended in January 2025. The White House has not provided any ASL interpreters for any press briefings since that time, despite the NAD’s repeated requests.

Read the full press release. Prominent cultists such as Charlie Kirk and Christopher Rufo regularly ridicule ASL interpreters that appear alongside elected officials, police, first responders, and weather event officials, calling them distracting and comical.