The White House has taken a dramatic step in its ongoing feud with the Associated Press (AP), announcing that the news organization will be indefinitely barred from accessing the Oval Office and Air Force One. This decision comes after the AP refused to comply with President Trump’s executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. The move has sparked widespread criticism from media outlets and advocates of press freedom, who argue that the White House is targeting the organization for its independent journalism. In a statement, White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich accused the AP of spreading misinformation by continuing to use the name “Gulf of Mexico,” a term that has been in use for over 400 years. Budowich claimed that the AP’s refusal to adopt the new name is “divisive” and undermines the administration’s authority. However, the AP will retain its White House credentials, allowing its journalists and photographers to continue reporting from the White House complex, albeit with limited access to certain areas.
The AP has firmly pushed back against the White House’s decision, framing it as an attack on freedom of the press. Lauren Easton, the AP’s vice president of corporate communications, emphasized that the organization’s commitment to accurate and unbiased reporting is a cornerstone of American democracy. Easton argued that restricting the AP’s access to presidential events because of its refusal to adopt the new name for the Gulf of Mexico undermines the First Amendment. The AP has formally objected to the White House’s actions, with executive editor Julie Pace describing the move as “alarming” and a direct infringement on the public’s right to independent news. Pace also noted that the AP serves a global audience and that changing the name of a well-established geographic landmark like the Gulf of Mexico is not only unnecessary but also disregards centuries of historical and international recognition.
Other major media organizations have joined the AP in opposing the White House’s decision, both in terms of the name change and the restrictions on press access. News outlets such as the New York Times, Bloomberg News, Reuters, the New Yorker, and the Los Angeles Times have all stated that they will continue to refer to the body of water as the Gulf of Mexico. A spokesperson for the New York Times explained that the name change lacks historical and international precedent, and the organization will follow established style guidelines. However, the spokesperson also emphasized that the outlet will cover the president’s executive order fairly and will use the term “Gulf of America” when necessary for context. This approach underscores the balance that news organizations must strike between respecting presidential authority and maintaining journalistic integrity.
Meanwhile, tech giants Apple and Google have taken a different stance by updating their map apps to reflect the name change. In the U.S., Google Maps now shows the Gulf of America, while users in Mexico will still see the Gulf of Mexico. For users in other countries, both names will appear. Apple Maps has adopted the Gulf of America name worldwide. This shift highlights the complex and often politically charged nature of geographic naming, as well as the role of technology companies in shaping public perception. While the AP and other media organizations have chosen to maintain their editorial independence, tech companies may feel pressure to comply with governmental directives, even if they are controversial.
The name change itself was part of a broader executive order signed by President Trump on his first day of his second term in office. The order directed the Secretary of the Interior to replace the name “Gulf of Mexico” with “Gulf of America” for the body of water extending to the seaward boundary with Mexico and Cuba. In addition to this change, the order also restored the name of Alaska’s Denali mountain to Mount McKinley. The AP has acknowledged this latter change, noting that the president has the authority to alter federal geographic names within the United States. However, the Gulf of Mexico name change has proven far more contentious, as it involves an internationally recognized landmark that lies partially outside U.S. jurisdiction.
The controversy over the Gulf of Mexico’s renaming and the subsequent restrictions on the AP’s access to the White House have raised important questions about press freedom and the role of journalism in a democratic society. The AP has made it clear that it is prepared to “vigorously defend its constitutional rights” and challenge the administration’s actions in court if necessary. In a letter to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Julie Pace wrote that limiting the AP’s access based on its editorial decisions “plainly violates the First Amendment.” The situation has also drawn attention to the broader challenges faced by journalists under the Trump administration, which has often clashed with the media over issues of accuracy, bias, and access. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen whether the White House will reverse its decision or whether the AP and other media organizations will succeed in challenging the restrictions in court.
