On Tuesday, February 11, 2025, an Associated Press (AP) reporter was prohibited from attending an Oval Office executive order signing event. The White House made this decision after the AP declined to alter its style guide to accommodate President Donald Trump’s executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. This action has exacerbated the already tense relationship between the administration and mainstream media outlets.
Julie Pace, Executive Editor at AP, announced in a prepared statement, “Today, we were informed by the White House that if AP did not align its editorial standards with President Donald Trump’s executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, AP would be barred from accessing an event in the Oval Office.” She also revealed that an AP journalist was denied entry to the Oval Office during an executive order signing later that afternoon.
Pace voiced grave concerns over the Trump administration’s decision to punish the AP for its independent reporting habits. She described this action as both alarming and unprecedented. She stressed that restricting AP’s access to the Oval Office based on its reportage not only significantly hinders the public’s access to crucial, independent news but also constitutes a flagrant violation of the First Amendment’s provisions on press freedom and free speech.
The AP, the authority behind the widely utilized AP Stylebook that serves as a primary reference for consistency in the usage of language in journalism, has decided to continue using the original name of the Gulf of Mexico. The AP justified its decision by noting that the geographical entity has been known as the Gulf of Mexico for over four centuries, and no international body has recognized the name change.
A second AP journalist was blocked from attending an evening event in the White House’s Diplomatic Reception Room.
The White House Correspondents’ Association denounced the barring of the AP reporters as “unacceptable.” It urged the Trump administration to “immediately change course,” stressing that the president should not dictate how the news is reported. The association warned that such restrictions could establish a dangerous precedent for press freedom.
The first AP reporter was prohibited from covering an event that involved notable modifications in government workforce policies. At this event, Trump directed federal department leaders to prepare plans for “large-scale reductions in force,” introducing a new policy stipulating that the government can only hire a new employee if four other employees depart. The ceremony was attended by Elon Musk, the head of the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk, wearing a MAGA hat, brought along his son, X Æ A-Xii, to the Oval Office for the signing.
The dispute over the Gulf’s name started from an executive order Trump signed on January 15, 2025, shortly after the beginning of his second term. The order called for renaming the waters enclosed by the southern United States, Mexico, and Cuba as the Gulf of America. Subsequently, the President declared February 9, 2025, as Gulf of America Day. His administration has been actively encouraging private companies to update their maps with the new name through the Department of the Interior and other federal agencies.
Several major tech companies have already complied with the renaming. Google Maps updated its U.S.-based platform to reflect the new name, while preserving the original name for international users. Apple Maps reportedly made a similar adjustment for its domestic user base, according to industry insiders.
While some companies have complied, the AP has adopted a more discerning approach concerning geographic name changes. The organization agreed to use “Mount McKinley” for the Alaskan mountain that Trump renamed, but it has held firm in its decision to use the original name for the Gulf of Mexico.
The renaming directive is part of a larger pattern of territorial initiatives in Trump’s second term. White House sources have indicated that the President has openly discussed acquiring territories such as Canada, Greenland, the Panama Canal, and the Gaza Strip. These proposals have sparked considerable debate worldwide.
Advocates for press freedom have voiced concerns about the decision to exclude the media based on editorial decisions. Recent reports have linked this restriction to broader changes in White House media access, including the removal of several mainstream media organizations from their Pentagon workstations, which were reassigned to more conservative outlets.
This is not the first instance of a presidential administration limiting media access. Two years prior, the Biden administration excluded The New York Post from a White House event citing capacity limits. However, The Post later reported discovering about 20 empty seats at the event, which raised questions about the true motive behind the exclusion.
This incident has reignited debates about press freedom and the relationship between the executive branch and independent media organizations. Advocacy groups for the press warn that any access restrictions based on editorial decisions could negatively impact journalism.