White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich said Friday that the Associated Press (AP) will have limited access to cover President Donald Trump following the ongoing dispute over the name change of the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America."
The Trump administration has indefinitely barred AP from accessing the Oval Office and Air Force One. This action stems from a dispute over the AP's continued use of the term "Gulf of Mexico" instead of the administration's preferred "Gulf of America."
"Associated Press journalists and photographers will retain their credentials to the White House complex," Budowich posted on X, formerly Twitter.
AP spokesperson Lauren Easton told Newsweek via email on Friday, "Freedom of speech is a pillar of American democracy and a core value of the American people. The White House has said it supports these principles. The actions taken to restrict AP's coverage of presidential events because of how we refer to a geographic location chip away at this important right enshrined in the U.S. Constitution for all Americans."
Why It Matters
On Monday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that it would update its data and charts to show the names "Gulf of America." Google Maps has also started to roll out the "Gulf of America" language on its sites.
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." Other news outlets have made similar decisions.
Trump has frequently used the phrase "fake news" to dismiss typically unfavorable news reports or outlets. He has said he is "providing a great service" by calling out these news outlets while suggesting the media is causing division and distrust.
At her first news conference, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced a "new media" pass to welcome bloggers, podcasters, social media influencers and others into the press room.
What To Know
Trump floated the idea of changing the Gulf's name before Inauguration Day. The administration framed the move as part of a broader effort to restore "American pride in the history of American greatness."
Budowich wrote Friday on X: "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 by the First Amendment, it does not ensure their privilege of unfettered access to limited spaces, like the Oval Office and Air Force One."
AP reporters were first denied access to Oval Office events on Tuesday after receiving an advance warning. The restriction continued into Wednesday and Thursday, extending to events in both the Oval Office and other locations.
On Wednesday, an AP reporter was in the White House briefing room for press secretary Karoline Leavitt's remarks. However, they were turned away at a later event in the Oval Office for Tulsi Gabbard's swearing-in as national intelligence director.
On Thursday, the White House barred an AP journalist from covering a news conference where President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took questions, escalating tensions between the Trump administration and the outlet over the news agency's decision to continue using the name "Gulf of Mexico."
The AP's senior vice president and executive editor, Julie Pace, called the Trump administration's actions "a plain violation of the First Amendment" to the United States. Constitution.
"We urge the Trump administration in the strongest terms to stop this practice," Pace said in a statement. "This is now the third day AP reporters have been barred from covering the president — first as a member of the pool, and now from a formal press conference — an incredible disservice to the billions of people who rely on The Associated Press for nonpartisan news."
Part of Trump's success in his 2024 presidential campaign came from using "new media," specifically social media platforms like X and Truth Social and podcasts, to connect with younger voters—particularly men. This strategy was reportedly influenced by Trump's youngest son, Barron.
That said, 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 not to allow some mainstream media outlets, like The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and CNN, to attend an off-camera briefing.
"Going forward, that space will now be opened up to the many thousands of reporters who have been barred from covering these intimate areas of the administration," Budowich posted.
The AP has been so vital to White House coverage that it played a prominent part in creating the press pool that travels with the president and shares information with the wider news coverage outlets. The agency transmits news to thousands of clients.
The AP said this week that "the first known instance of a so-called pool reporter inside of the White House" was Franklin Trusdell, who sat outside of then-President James Garfield's room after he was shot, "listening to him breathe and sharing updates with other correspondents."
What People Are Saying
An Associated Press staffer told CNN on condition of anonymity: "It's hard to come up with a clearer case of viewpoint discrimination."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt in a press conference on Wednesday: "I was very up front 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. 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."
In a statement previously sent to Newsweek, Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Director of Public Advocacy Aaron Terr 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."
What Happens Next
It is unclear how long the Associated Press will remain barred from events. The service, however, has suggested it is preparing for a legal battle.
Update 2/14/25, 3:57 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Update 2/14/25, 7:24 p.m. ET: This article was updated with a comment from AP spokesperson Lauren Easton.
About the writer
Monica is a Newsweek reporter based in Boston. Her focus is reporting on breaking news. Monica joined Newsweek in 2024. ... Read more