The Trump administration is taking strong action against the Associated Press in a fallout that stems from the “Gulf of America.”
On Friday, the White House announced that the AP is banned indefinitely from the Oval Office and Air Force One. The decision follows a dispute over the AP’s continued use of “Gulf of Mexico” instead of the administration’s preferred “Gulf of America.”
President Trump had ordered the name change, which government agencies have adopted, but international recognition remains absent. The AP, serving a global audience, continued using “Gulf of Mexico” while acknowledging the administration’s directive.
This week, the White House responded by barring AP reporters from presidential events, though its photographers were still allowed. Before Trump’s departure to Mar-a-Lago, the administration confirmed AP journalists would be excluded from Air Force One as well.
Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich accused the AP of spreading “misinformation,” stating, “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.”
Blocking the AP from “pooled” events, such as Air Force One flights, disrupts its ability to cover the presidency. The AP, a founding member of the press pool, has played a key role since 1881.
The White House Correspondents’ Association condemned the move as “a textbook violation of not only the First Amendment but the president’s own executive order on freedom of speech.”
The AP is reportedly preparing a legal challenge. “It’s hard to come up with a clearer case of viewpoint discrimination,” one AP staffer said.
