The White House banned an Associated Press(AP) reporter from attending an executive order signing in the Oval Office on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, after the news agency refused to update its style guidance to reflect President Donald Trump’s executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. This significantly heightens tensions between the administration and mainstream media organizations.
“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. AP Executive Editor Julie Pace said in a prepared statement. “This afternoon AP’s reporter was blocked from attending an executive order signing.”
She added, “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.”
The Associated Press, which manages the widely used AP Stylebook—the journalism industry’s primary reference for consistency in terminology, abbreviations, and spelling, has maintained its position to continue using the original name. The AP defended its stance, noting that the body of water has been called the Gulf of Mexico for over 400 years and that no international body has acknowledged the name change.
The White House Correspondents’ Association condemned the barring of the AP reporter as “unacceptable” and called on the Trump administration to “immediately change course,” emphasizing that the White House cannot dictate how news organizations report the news. The association warned that such restrictions could set a dangerous precedent for press freedom.
The signing event the AP reporter was barred from covering involved significant changes in government workforce policy. Trump instructed federal department heads to develop plans for “large-scale reductions in force,” introducing a new policy where the government can only hire for a position if four people leave. The ceremony was attended by Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk, who wore a dark MAGA hat and brought his son X Æ A-Xii to the Oval Office for the signing.
The Gulf naming dispute stems from an executive order Trump signed on January 15, 2025, shortly after the start of his second term. The order mandated renaming the coastline along the southern United States as the Gulf of America, and the President subsequently proclaimed February 9, 2025, as Gulf of America Day. His administration has actively pushed private companies to update their maps with the new terminology through the Department of the Interior and other federal agencies.
Several major technology companies have already complied. Google Maps updated its platform for U.S.-based users to reflect the change while maintaining the traditional name for international users. According to industry sources, Apple Maps made similar changes for its domestic user base.
While some companies have complied, the AP takes a more selective approach regarding geographic name changes. The organization agreed to use “Mount McKinley” for the Alaskan mountain, which Trump renamed, but it maintains its stance on the Gulf of Mexico.
The name change directive is part of a broader pattern of territorial initiatives in Trump’s second term. According to White House sources, the President has openly discussed acquiring territories such as Canada, Greenland, the Panama Canal, and the Gaza Strip. These proposals have generated significant debate globally.
Press freedom advocates have raised concerns about the move to exclude media based on editorial decisions. According to media reports, the restriction follows broader changes in White House media access, including removing several mainstream media organizations from their Pentagon workstations, which were reassigned to more conservative outlets.
This is not the first time a presidential administration has restricted media access. Two years ago, the Biden administration excluded The New York Post from a White House event, citing capacity limits. The Post later reported finding about 20 empty seats at the event, raising questions about the true nature of the exclusion.
The incident has reignited debates about press freedom and the relationship between the executive branch and independent media organizations. Press advocacy groups warn that restrictions on access based on editorial decisions could have a chilling effect on journalism.