The White House barred an Associated Press (AP) journalist from covering two events after the news service refused to use President Donald Trump’s new name for the Gulf of Mexico: the “Gulf of America.” Trump’s executive order renamed the body of water “in recognition of this flourishing economic resource and its critical importance to our Nation’s economy and its people.”
AP policy keeps the historical name while noting Trump’s change. Its Stylebook states: “The Gulf of Mexico has carried that name for more than 400 years. Refer to it by its original name while acknowledging the new name Trump has chosen.” AP’s Executive Editor, Julie Pace, called the White House’s action retaliation: “The actions taken by the White House were plainly intended to punish the AP for the content of its speech.”
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt defended the decision: “It is a privilege to cover this White House. Nobody has the right to go into the Oval Office and ask the president of the United States questions.”
The AP journalist was barred from covering events with Trump, Elon Musk, and a U.S. prisoner freed by Russia. Despite the ban, AP vowed to defend press freedoms and independent journalism.
