The Associated Press appeared worried, confused, or annoyed on Thursday about the White House continuing to bar its reporters from White House media events.
“Nobody has the right to go into the Oval Office and ask the president of the United States questions,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday. “If we feel that there are lies being pushed by outlets in this room, we are going to hold those lies accountable.”
🚨🔥Karoline Leavitt absolutely SHREDS Associated Press for refusing to acknowledge the “Gulf of America”:
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 12, 2025
“If we feel there are lies being pushed, we hold those lies accountable. It is a fact that the body of water off the coast of Louisiana is called the Gulf of America.” pic.twitter.com/1KK01h06Kj
The AP refuses to recognize the “Gulf of America” as its official name.
Trump designated the name change in January, and Google Maps and Apple Maps updated their maps to reflect the new Gulf of America designation, but the AP remains stubborn.
In a statement Thursday, the AP said the White House prevented its reporter from covering an event with Indian Prime Minister Modi and President Trump.
WATCH: President Donald J. Trump Holds a Press Conference with Indian Prime Minister Modi in The East Room At the White House 2/13/25 pic.twitter.com/sRVAFiaPrk
— RSBN 🇺🇸 (@RSBNetwork) February 14, 2025
“The decision by the White House to block an AP reporter from an open press conference with President Trump and Prime Minister Modi is a deeply troubling escalation of the administration’s continued efforts to punish The Associated Press for its editorial decisions,” the AP despaired Thursday:
It is a plain violation of the First Amendment, and we urge the Trump administration in the strongest terms to stop this practice.
This is now the third day AP reporters have been barred from covering the president – first as a member of the pool, and now from a formal press conference – an incredible disservice to the billions of people who rely on The Associated Press for nonpartisan news.
The AP’s decision to spurn the Gulf of America name change is contrary to its past updates to its style guide. In 2020, for instance, it updated its style guide of “black” people to “Black” people.
In a letter to Trump chief of staff Susie Wiles, the AP claims it might take legal action.
“The AP is prepared to vigorously defend its constitutional rights,” executive editor Julie Pace threatened Wednesday.
—@WHCA backs up @AP: "This is a textbook violation of not only the First Amendment, but the president's own executive order on freedom of speech and ending federal censorship. We again call on the White House to immediately reverse course and restore access to AP journalists."
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 14, 2025
Wendell Husebo is a political reporter with Breitbart News and a former RNC War Room Analyst. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality. Follow Wendell on “X” @WendellHusebø or on Truth Social @WendellHusebo.
