Reporter Barred from Oval Office Over 'Gulf of America' Clash, Outlet Says

The Associated Press said Tuesday that a reporter was barred from attending events in the Oval Office over a dispute about the outlet's editorial guidelines after the president signed an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

On Tuesday, AP reporters were blocked from attending events in the Oval Office and the White House's Diplomatic Reception Room. An AP reporter was in the White House briefing room Wednesday for press secretary Karoline Leavitt's remarks, but they were turned away at a later event in the Oval Office for Tulsi Gabbard's swearing in as national intelligence director.

Julie Pace, AP's senior vice president and executive editor, wrote to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles on Wednesday objecting to the moves.

"The actions taken by this White House were plainly intended to punish the AP for the content of its speech," Pace wrote. "It is among the most basic tenets of the First Amendment that the government cannot retaliate against the public or the press for what they say."

Why It Matters

President Donald Trump has frequently used the phrase "fake news" to dismiss typically unfavorable news reports. He has said he is "providing a great service" by calling out news outlets while suggesting the media is causing division and distrust. At her first news conference, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced a "new media" pass to welcome bloggers, podcasters, social media influencers and others into the press room.

Since before the inauguration of his second term, Trump has floated the idea of changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America." On his first day in office, Trump signed an order doing just that. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Monday it would update its data and charts to show the names "Gulf of America."

What To Know

Executive Editor Julie Pace suggested that the Trump administration was "plainly" violating the First Amendment when barring The Associated Press journalist from Tuesday's executive order signing.

"As a global news organization, The Associated Press informs billions of people around the world every day with factual, nonpartisan journalism," Pace's statement reads. "It is alarming that the Trump administration would punish AP for its independent journalism. 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."

Tuesday's executive order signing centered around requiring federal agencies to cooperate with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). While the Associated Press was not in the room, DOGE head Elon Musk and his son were in the Oval Office with Trump.

Trump has been no stranger to barring high-profile journalists from events. One of the most infamous incidents was when the President revoked CNN correspondent Jim Acosta's press credentials during a 2018 press conference.

In 2017, Trump decided to not allow some mainstream media outlets, like The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and CNN, to attend an off-camera briefing.

Part of Trump's success in his 2024 presidential campaign comes from his use of "new media," specifically social media platforms, like X and Truth Social, as well as podcasts. He used these platforms to connect with younger voters, particularly men. This strategy was reportedly influenced by Trump's youngest son Barron.

On January 23, the Associated Press announced that it would continue to refer to the Gulf of Mexico by its original name since it "has carried that name for more than 400 years."

"President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America," the announcement read. "The body of water has shared borders between the U.S. and Mexico. Trump's order only carries authority within the United States. Mexico, as well as other countries and international bodies, do not have to recognize the name change."

The "Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness" order directed the secretary of the interior to formally rename the U.S. portion of the Gulf of Mexico and update federal maps and documents accordingly.

The administration framed the move as part of a broader effort to restore what it called "American pride in the history of American greatness."

Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene had also introduced a bill on January 9 to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America."

"The Associated Press will refer to it by its original name while acknowledging the new name Trump has chosen," The Associated Press' January announcement stated.

However, in the same announcement, the AP said it would use the official name change to Mount McKinley from Mount Denali, which was also included in Trump's executive order.

"The area lies solely in the United States and as president, Trump has the authority to change federal geographical names within the country," the announcement read.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about the issue during her press briefing on Wednesday.

"I was very upfront in my briefing on day one that if we feel that there are lies being pushed by outlets in this room, we are going to hold those lies accountable," Leavitt said. "It is a fact that the body of water off the coast of Louisiana is called the Gulf of America. I'm not sure why news outlets don't want to call it that, but that is what it is. The Secretary of Interior has made that official designation in the geographical identification name server. Apple has recognized that. Google has recognized that. Pretty much every other outlet in this room has recognized that body of water as the Gulf of America, and it's very important to this administration that we get that right, not just for the people of America but also for the rest of the world."

According to CNN's Brian Stetler, the AP reporter was barred Wednesday from attending Tulsi Gabbard's swearing in ceremony as the director of national intelligence in the Oval Office.

What People Are Saying

In a statement to Newsweek, Aaron Terr, FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression) director of public advocacy stated: "Punishing journalists for not adopting state-mandated terminology is an alarming attack on press freedom. That's viewpoint discrimination, and it's unconstitutional. President Trump has the authority to change how the U.S. government refers to the Gulf. But he cannot punish a news organization for using another term. The role of our free press is to hold those in power accountable, not to act as their mouthpiece. Any government efforts to erode this fundamental freedom deserve condemnation."

The FAA in its charting notice: "This Charting Notice implements President Trump's direction in Executive Order 14172, 'Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness,' that the names be changed."

Google in its new guidelines: "As we announced two weeks ago and consistent with our long-standing practices, we've begun rolling out changes to reflect this update."

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene in the introduction of her bill: "It's our gulf. The rightful name is the Gulf of America and it's what the entire world should refer to it as."

Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum posted to X on Sunday: "It's official! Congratulations @POTUS on the Gulf of America! Interior has implemented your instruction from the Executive Order on Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness."

What's Next

The long-term impact of Trump's executive order remains unclear. While digital platforms and some U.S. agencies are adopting the change, it remains to be seen whether the name will gain broader acceptance or face legal and diplomatic pushback.

Mexico has yet to formally respond to the decision, though experts predict tensions could rise over the symbolic gesture.

Update 02/11/25 5:35 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.

Update 02/11/25 8:06 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.

Update 02/12/25 1:48 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.

Update 02/12/25 5:03 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.

Update 02/12/25 6:50 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.