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WASHINGTON – The Associated Press filed a lawsuit against three members of the Trump administration on Friday, arguing that the White House’s denial of access for AP reporters is a violation of free speech.
The dispute stems from the AP’s decision to continue including the Gulf of Mexico’s original name in its news coverage.
Gulf of America controversy
The backstory:
Last month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. The order proved controversial, both internationally – Mexico has threatened to sue Google over the name on its maps – and domestically.
The AP decided to continue using the gulf’s original name along with the new one, citing their commitment to fair coverage around the world. Not long after, the White House began blocking AP reporters from accessing events at the White House and aboard Air Force One.
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What they’re saying:
“The press and all people in the United States have the right to choose their own words and not be retaliated against by the government,” the AP said in its lawsuit, which names White House Chief of Staff Susan Wiles, Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
“The Constitution does not allow the government to control speech,” the AP’s statement continued. “Allowing such government control and retaliation to stand is a threat to every American’s freedom.”
PDF: Read the full lawsuit
The other side:
The White House says the new name is now the law of the land and they expect news organizations to cover the topic factually.
“It is a fact that the body of water off the coast of Louisiana is called the Gulf of America, and I’m not sure why news outlets don’t want to call it that,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said last week.
“We’re going to keep them out until such time as they agree that it’s the Gulf of America,” Trump said Tuesday.
Axios reported earlier this week that Trump’s aides feel the style guide is full of “liberal bias.” The AP rejects the characterization.
A poster with a map captioned “Gulf of America” is seen as US President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 21, 2025. (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Big picture view:
As a wire service, the Associated Press not only provides news for thousands of outlets around the world, but it also sets the standard for names and styles.
Most print and broadcast outlets follow the AP Stylebook, meaning they’ll continue to use the Gulf of Mexico name as long as the AP does.
Meanwhile, about 40 news organizations signed a letter organized by the White House Correspondents Association, urging the White House to reverse its policy against the AP.
Dig deeper:
The Trump executive order also changed the name of North America’s tallest peak, Denali in Alaska, back to Mount McKinley – a change the AP did go along with.
The new entries in the AP Stylebook explain the distinction:
“The Associated Press will refer to the Gulf of Mexico by its original name while acknowledging the name, Gulf of America. As a global news agency that disseminates news around the world, the AP must ensure that place names and geography are recognizable to all audiences.””The Associated Press will use the name Mount McKinley instead of Denali. The area lies solely in the United States and as president, Trump has the authority to change federal geographical names within the country.
RELATED: Google Maps renames Gulf of Mexico to ‘Gulf of America’ after Trump order
The Source: Information in this story came from the Associated Press lawsuit, the AP’s statements on the case, and previous comments from the White House. FOX News also contributed.
PoliticsDonald J. TrumpU.S.News
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Publish date : 2025-02-21 09:10:00
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