The Trump administration has barred The Associated Press from the Oval Office and Air Force One indefinitely, citing a dispute over the name of the Gulf of Mexico. The White House’s move follows AP’s refusal to adopt President Donald Trump’s recent directive renaming the body of water as the “Gulf of America.” While U.S. government agencies have implemented the change, international organizations, including AP, continue to use the widely recognized term.
Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich defended the ban, stating AP’s decision “exposes its commitment to misinformation.” While AP journalists retain White House credentials, their exclusion from Air Force One flights and presidential events hampers their reporting access.
The White House Correspondents’ Association condemned the decision as a “textbook violation” of press freedoms and Trump’s own executive order on free speech. The AP, a longtime member of the White House press pool, is reportedly preparing a legal challenge.
Despite the restrictions, AP photographers remain permitted at certain events. However, the press pool’s integrity is now under scrutiny, raising concerns over government-imposed media restrictions.
AP has yet to comment publicly on the ban, but an insider described it as “a clear case of viewpoint discrimination.”
