The Trump White House has taken unprecedented action against The Associated Press (AP), barring the global news agency from the Oval Office and Air Force One indefinitely. The move comes after the AP refused to adopt the administration’s controversial decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.”
The Controversy Over the Name Change
Last month, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. government would officially refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.” The change was swiftly implemented across government agencies. However, the renaming has not been recognized internationally, and other countries continue to use the traditional name.
As a leading global news organization, the AP decided to stick with the widely accepted term “Gulf of Mexico” in its reporting, while also acknowledging Trump’s directive. Many other international news agencies have made the same editorial choice.
Despite this, the White House singled out the AP, accusing the organization of deliberately opposing the administration’s stance and spreading what it called “misinformation.”
The AP Faces an Unprecedented Ban
On Friday, shortly before President Trump departed the White House for his Mar-a-Lago resort, administration officials confirmed that AP reporters would not be allowed to board Air Force One. This marked an escalation of restrictions, as the AP had already been barred from the Oval Office and other key presidential events earlier in the week.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich defended the ban, saying,
“The AP’s 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. 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.”
Despite the ban, AP journalists will still retain their general White House press credentials, allowing them access to the grounds. However, being excluded from Air Force One and the Oval Office severely limits their ability to cover the president’s activities.
Impact on the White House Press Pool
The decision to bar the AP has serious implications for White House press coverage. The AP has played a foundational role in the White House press pool—a system that ensures major news outlets share essential presidential coverage—since the 19th century.
The first recorded instance of a pool reporter in the White House dates back to 1881, when an AP journalist provided updates on President James A. Garfield’s condition after he was shot. Since then, the AP has remained a core part of the press pool, providing news reports that are shared among other media organizations.
By banning the AP from pool events such as Air Force One flights, the White House is disrupting this long-standing system. The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA), which oversees the press pool, has strongly condemned the move.
In a statement on Thursday, the WHCA said,
“This is a textbook violation of not only the First Amendment but also the president’s own executive order on freedom of speech and ending federal censorship.”
Legal Challenges and Industry Reactions
The AP has not yet issued an official response to the ban, but sources within the organization suggest that legal action is being considered. One anonymous AP staff member described the White House’s decision as “a clear case of viewpoint discrimination.”
Several media organizations and press freedom advocates have voiced their concerns over the administration’s actions. Critics argue that excluding a major news outlet from key presidential events is a dangerous precedent that undermines press freedom and transparency.
With tensions between the Trump administration and the press already high, this latest move is likely to further escalate conflicts between the White House and the media.
The situation remains fluid, and it is unclear whether the ban will be lifted or if further restrictions will be imposed on other news organizations. However, the AP’s potential legal challenge could determine whether the White House has the authority to exclude media outlets based on editorial decisions.
