As Townhall has been covering, the Trump White House has not taken too kindly to the Associated Press refusing to refer to the "Gulf of America" by its new name, instead still insisting to use "Gulf of Mexico." Reporters from the AP have not been permitted in the briefing room or the Oval Office, which White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has reminded is a privilege to begin with. On Friday, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich made an announcement over X about the outlet's future access.
Referring to the AP's coverage, Budowich noted that "decision is not just divisive, but it also exposes the Associated Press' commitment to misinformation."
Just as Leavitt reminded how access is a privilege, so did Budowich's post. "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," his post continued. "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. Associate Press journalists and photographers will retain their credentials to the White House complex."
The decisions offers more spots to other outlets. It's also key to keep in mind that "Associate[d] Press journalists and photographers will retain their credentials to the White House complex."
The Associated Press continues to ignore the lawful geographic name change of the Gulf of America. This 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…
— Taylor Budowich (@Taylor47) February 14, 2025
The AP issued a statement on Tuesday, when one of their reporters were blocked from covering an event. The outlet tried to defend its "nonpartisan journalism," as well as seek cover under the First Amendment:
As the statement read:
As a global news organization, The Associated Press informs billions of people around the world every day with factual, nonpartisan journalism.
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. This afternoon AP’s reporter was blocked from attending an executive order signing.
It is alarming that the Trump administration would punish AP for its independent journalism. Limiting our access to the Oval Office based on the content of AP’s speech not only severely impedes the public’s access to independent news, it plainly violates the First Amendment.
Plenty in the mainstream media have grumbled about denied access, perhaps no more so than CNN's Brian Stelter. The pinned post for his X account is a thread about the decision. "The AP being barred from Trump's events is part of a much larger weaponization of language to advance the MAGA agenda," the Wednesday post claimed in part.
Stelter also put out another thread on Friday afternoon about the decision as he defended the AP.
Out with the oldspeak. In with President Trump's newspeak – or else.
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 12, 2025
The AP being barred from Trump's events is part of a much larger weaponization of language to advance the MAGA agenda 🧵
Blocking the AP from what are known as "pooled" events, like Air Force One flights and Oval Office photo ops, interferes with the news outlet's ability to do its job. The "press pool" travels with the president at all times and shares information with the wider press corps.
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 14, 2025
The Associated Press is foundational to White House coverage – and serves many news outlets all around the world. In fact, The AP helped create the pool in the first place!
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 14, 2025
Earlier this week, Stelter was part of a panel on "CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip" that discussed the AP's access, with some panelists insisting that the AP should sue. Stelter and Scott Jennings also got into it about the Biden-Harris administration's poor treatment of the press and lack of transparency, in strong contrast to Trump, with Stelter continuing to double down over X as well.
Another panelist on Wednesday's show, Sarah Matthews, the former Deputy White House Press Secretary, tried to offer it as a hypothetical about the Biden administration banning outlets. That really did happen, though, especially with conservative outlets like The Daily Signal, though their access has since been granted under the Trump administration.
The Trump White House's decision to enforce the name change also comes as Trump established February 9, the same day that he became the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl, as "Gulf of America Day."
President @realDonaldTrump signs a Proclamation declaring February 9, 2025 as the first ever Gulf of America Day 🇺🇸
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) February 9, 2025
Listen as Air Force One announces a flyover of Gulf of America en route to Super Bowl LIX! pic.twitter.com/fNk0e6l7dL
Join the conversation as a VIP Member