U.S. President Donald Trump directed that the name of the Gulf of Mexico be changed to the Gulf of America, and for not using that designation, the White House barred an Associated Press (AP) reporter from entering. There are evaluations that President Trump is intensifying his media control, which has been at odds with existing media.
On the 12th (local time), major media reports stated that the White House prevented AP reporter Jake Miller from attending a White House event the day before. As a result, the AP reporter was unable to attend the joint press conference held that afternoon between President Trump and Elon Musk, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tesla and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) of the Trump administration.
Julie Pace, AP's Washington Bureau Chief, wrote in a letter to Suzy Wiles, White House Chief of Staff, that 'restricting access to the White House based on AP's designation policy not only severely hinders public access to independent news but also violates the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution (freedom of the press and expression).'
White House Spokesperson Caroline Levitt countered by saying, 'Excluding AP reporters is the White House's right,' adding, 'Covering the White House is a privilege, not a right.' He also noted that 'there are other reporters who are not included in the White House press pool, and the White House has the authority to decide who can enter the Oval Office.' Since its establishment in 1942, the White House Correspondents Association has operated a press pool with three major news agencies including AP, where reporters from each agency take turns covering major events in the Oval Office.
On the 20th of last month, President Trump signed an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and Mount McKinley to Denali, the highest peak in North America located in Alaska. However, the Associated Press has maintained its position of continuing to use the original name 'Gulf of Mexico' in its reporting. The AP stated, 'Trump's order only has effect within the U.S., and the name Gulf of Mexico has been in use for over 400 years and is recognized internationally,' affirming its intention to retain the original designation. The Associated Press, a non-profit cooperative news organization established in 1846, provides news to major media outlets worldwide, including those in the United States.
The exclusion of the AP reporter is interpreted as a reflection of President Trump's media stance, which has been at odds with established media. During last year's election campaign on November 5, President Trump also favored appearing mainly on podcasts and online shows over traditional broadcast interviews. Since assuming office, the White House has announced plans to open the briefing room to new media outlets, including podcasters, independent journalists, and social media influencers. At the same time, Levitt noted, 'We know that many existing media have spread falsehoods about President Trump and his family,' and, as the youngest spokesperson in history, she stated that the briefing room would also be open to new media and those who have not secured a seat in the press area. She broke the tradition of the AP being the first to ask questions in the White House press room by giving first question rights to reporters from online outlets Axios and Breitbart.
Additionally, the Trump administration is formalizing its distancing from established media by directing major government agencies to terminate paid news subscription contracts with political media outlets such as Politico, Bloomberg, and the BBC.