Trump: AP Will Stay Excluded from Oval Office and Air Force One Until It Embraces ‘Gulf of America’

February 19, 2025 TruthUSA

The Associated Press (AP) has acknowledged the renaming of Mount McKinley but still employs ‘Gulf of Mexico’ in its reports.

President Donald Trump declared that The Associated Press (AP) will remain excluded from the Oval Office and Air Force One until it formally recognizes the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America in its reporting.

The president’s comments followed AP’s refusal to adopt the new designation, opting instead to continue using the previous name for the extensive body of water situated between Mexico and Florida. Consequently, the White House has indefinitely revoked AP reporters’ access to both the presidential office and Air Force One, reallocating their spots to other media organizations.

During a press conference on Tuesday at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump was questioned about the conditions that might lead him to revise AP’s excluded status.

“The Associated Press refuses to adhere to the legalities and what has occurred,” Trump informed reporters, reiterating that as president, he has the authority to mandate name changes.

Trump pointed out that his administration had legally renamed both the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska’s Mount Denali—restoring its previous name, Mount McKinley, in tribute to President William McKinley. While the AP has accepted the renaming of McKinley because it falls under U.S. jurisdiction, the agency maintains that it cannot extend the same recognition to the Gulf due to its international context.

In its style guidance, the AP’s editorial team clarified that it will persist in referring to the body of water as the Gulf of Mexico while also acknowledging Trump’s executive order to rename it the Gulf of America, considering its worldwide readership. The AP’s stylebook is extensively used by significant newsrooms, granting the agency considerable sway over the terminology utilized in the news industry.

Trump dismissed the AP’s reasoning for accepting one name change while rejecting the other.

“I don’t know what they’re doing, but I’m saying that we will keep them out until they agree it’s the Gulf of America,” Trump stated. “We take great pride in our country, and we want it to be named the Gulf of America.”

AP Executive Editor Julie Pace has criticized the ban, accusing the administration of attempting to “punish the AP for its independent journalism.” The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) also condemned this action, labeling it a breach of the First Amendment and contrary to Trump’s own executive order on free speech.

In defense of the decision, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich characterized the AP’s refusal to accept the name change as “divisive” and accused the agency of disseminating misinformation.

“This decision is not only divisive but also highlights the Associated Press’ commitment to misinformation,” Budowich commented on X. “Although their right to irresponsible and dishonest reporting is safeguarded by the First Amendment, it does not guarantee their unfettered access to restricted areas such as the Oval Office and Air Force One.”

Trump reiterated this notion on Tuesday, implying that AP did not merit the benefits it had previously received, citing what he perceived as their ongoing critical coverage of him, the Republican Party, and conservative Americans.

“They’re not doing us any favors, and I guess I’m not doing them any favors—that’s just how life works,” he remarked.

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