Amid the escalating standoff between the Donald Trump administration and The Associated Press over Gulf of Mexico’s name, the White House on Friday said that it has indefinitely banned the news wire agency from accessing the Oval Office and Air Force One, CNN reported.
Trump had passed an executive order in January to rename the “Gulf of Mexico” – which is bordered by Mexico, Cuba and the US – to the “Gulf of America”. In a statement released on January 23, AP, whose style guidance is used by news outlets, journalists and writers across the globe, said that while it recognises the new name it will continue to refer to the waterbody as the Gulf of Mexico.
The decision to revoke AP’s access was announced on X by White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich who called AP’s choice to continue use the Gulf’s original name as “not just divisive, but it also exposes the Associated Press’ commitment to misinformation".
The Associated Press continues to ignore the lawful geographic name change of the Gulf of America. This decision is not just divisive, but it also exposes the Associated Press' commitment to misinformation. While their right to irresponsible and dishonest reporting is protected…
— Taylor Budowich (@Taylor47) February 14, 2025
Earlier in the week, AP reporters were blocked from attending several presidential events. In response, AP, which transmits news to thousands of clients globally, had termed the move “alarming”. “Limiting our access to the Oval Office based on the content of AP’s speech not only severely impedes the public’s access to independent news, it plainly violates the First Amendment,” the news organisation had said.
The renaming of the Gulf of Mexico is only one of a slew of new orders brought in by Donald Trump after his second presidency began. Watch our analysis on how Trump could threaten America’s free press in his second term.
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