The Trump White House announced on Friday that The Associated Press (AP) has been indefinitely banned from the Oval Office and Air Force One. The AP, a prominent global news outlet, was targeted by the White House due to its use of the term 'Gulf of Mexico.'
President Donald Trump recently declared that the body of water would be renamed the 'Gulf of America,' a change that has been implemented within US government agencies. However, as other countries do not recognize this new name, the AP continues to refer to it as the Gulf of Mexico while acknowledging Trump's decision.
Despite other news outlets making similar choices, the White House specifically singled out the AP and prohibited its reporters from covering presidential events. Notably, AP photographers were still permitted to attend these events.
Just before Trump's departure for Mar-a-Lago, the administration confirmed that the AP would not be allowed on Air Force One for the trip. Deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich cited the Gulf dispute, accusing the AP of promoting misinformation and irresponsible reporting.
While AP journalists will retain credentials for the White House grounds, being excluded from 'pooled' events like Air Force One flights hampers the news outlet's ability to report effectively. The press pool, which accompanies the president at all times, shares information with the broader press corps, with the AP playing a foundational role in its creation.
The AP, a cooperative serving thousands of clients, has hinted at a potential legal challenge against the ban, labeling it as viewpoint discrimination. The White House Correspondents Association, responsible for determining pool rotation, has condemned the action as a violation of the First Amendment and the president's executive order on freedom of speech.
