NAD Sues Trump Over Removal of ASL Interpreters

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD), joined by two deaf individuals, has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump and his administration for discontinuing American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation at White House press briefings since January 2025. The suit alleges violations of the First and Fifth Amendments and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, contending that closed captioning is insufficient for many deaf Americans. NAD argues this policy shift denies meaningful access to critical government communications, especially following the Biden administration's consistent provision of ASL interpretation and a 2020 court ruling mandating such access. The lawsuit also cites Trump's recent declaration of English as the official U.S. language and the rescinding of federal policies for people with limited English proficiency, including ASL users. NAD says repeated requests to reinstate ASL interpretation have gone unanswered by the White House. The group is seeking a court order to restore ASL services at all White House events.