‘Gulf of Mexico’: AP sues Trump administration’s officials over press ban

An independent global news organization, The Associated Press (AP), has filed a lawsuit against three officials in the administration of United States President, Donald Trump, alleging that the White House violated the First and Fifth Amendments by barring AP reporters from certain presidential events, including Oval Office gatherings and travel aboard Air Force One.

The lawsuit, submitted Friday in the U.S. District Court in Washington, seeks an emergency hearing and a court order declaring the ban unconstitutional. 

Judge Trevor McFadden, a Trump appointee, has been assigned to the case. However, the Trump administration has not responded to requests for comment.

The dispute stems from the White House’s insistence that media outlets refer to the “Gulf of Mexico” as the “Gulf of America,” following a presidential decree. The AP has continued to use the original name while acknowledging Trump’s directive, prompting retaliation from the administration.

“The Associated Press just refuses to go with what the law is and what has taken place, it’s called the ‘Gulf of America’ now,” Trump stated at a recent press conference—an event from which AP reporters were barred.

AP’s legal complaint argues that the ban represents an attempt by the government to dictate press coverage. “The White House has ordered its journalists ‘to use certain words in its coverage or else face an indefinite denial of access,’” the filing states. The AP contends that allowing such control would threaten press freedom and “every American’s freedom.”

The ban was implemented on February 11, and AP editors initially sought to resolve the matter privately before resorting to legal action. The news agency now argues that its lawsuit also serves to protect other media organizations from similar restrictions.

The suit names White House Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles; Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt; and Deputy Chief of Staff, Taylor Budowich as defendants. 

Speaking at CPAC on Friday, Leavitt acknowledged the lawsuit, remarking, “Upon driving over here from the White House, I actually learned that I have been sued by the Associated Press.” 

She added, “So we’ll see them in court. We feel we are in the right in this position.”

Trump has signaled that AP reporters will remain barred from key White House events and presidential travel until they comply with the administration’s terminology. Given AP’s central role in the White House press pool, its exclusion impacts broader media coverage.

“When the AP is denied access, the thousands of global news outlets that republish the AP’s news reports, and the billions of people that rely on its reporting, also are denied access,” the lawsuit argues.

The White House maintains that the AP remains credentialed to cover press briefings and other general events. However, the lawsuit focuses specifically on access to presidential Q&As and other press-pool events. 

Unlike CNN’s 2018 lawsuit over the revocation of correspondent Jim Acosta’s press pass, which was quickly resolved in CNN’s favour, this case hinges on whether the administration can selectively bar AP reporters from events where other journalists are present.

Legal experts note that while there are no definitive Supreme Court rulings on this precise issue, several appellate cases have touched on similar disputes. The case now moves to the federal court, where a ruling could have lasting implications for press access under the Trump administration.

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