The Trump administration has permanently excluded the Associated Press (AP) Journalists from the Oval Office and Air Force One after a row over the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.” This is a sharp intensification of the tensions between the White House and the news agency, which has declined to use the administration’s favored nomenclature.
Dispute Over “Gulf of America” Naming
At the heart of the controversy is the AP’s insistence on still using “Gulf of Mexico” in its reporting. The body of water has been referred to by this name for centuries, and the AP contends that most nations have not accepted the rebranding. The Trump administration, though, views the AP’s refusal as an attempt to defy its authority.
Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich rebuked the AP on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “While the First Amendment protection of their right to irresponsible and dishonest reporting holds, it does not guarantee their privilege of unlimited access to scarce places, such as the Oval Office and Air Force One.” He further stated that the White House would now provide access to other journalists who had been previously denied.
AP Defends Press Freedom
AP spokeswoman Lauren Easton came to the defense of the agency’s editorial independence in response. “Freedom of speech is a cornerstone of American democracy and a fundamental value of the American people. The White House has indicated that it believes in these principles. The measures taken to limit AP’s coverage of presidential events due to the way we describe a geographic location erode this valuable right enshrined in the US Constitution for all Americans.”
The AP’s widely followed stylebook has encouraged journalists to employ both “Gulf of Mexico” and “Gulf of America” in the United States for the sake of accuracy and fairness.
Mixed Media Response
Major news sources have had other positions on the topic. The New York Times and The Washington Post still use mainly “Gulf of Mexico,” while Fox News has adopted completely “Gulf of America.”
Implications for Press Freedom
The White House’s move to exclude AP reporters from these prominent areas is not good news on the issue of press freedom and access to information. As tensions play out, its effect on media coverage of the administration continues to be speculated about.
