Trump Administration Accused of Retaliation Against AP Over Gulf of Mexico Name Dispute

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Amanda Austin
February 12, 2025
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8 minutes read

President Donald Trump asked a New York judge to set aside his hush money trial conviction. /Seth Wenig Via Reuters

The Associated Press (AP) has raised concerns that President Donald Trump is restricting its access to the Oval Office as retaliation for refusing to adopt his directive to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.” According to Politico, the White House issued a warning to the AP, stating that if it did not revise its style guide to reflect the name change, its on-call reporter would be barred from attending an official event.

“It is alarming that the Trump administration would punish AP for its independent journalism,” said Julie Pace, AP’s executive editor. “Limiting our access to the Oval Office based on the content of AP’s speech not only severely impedes the public’s access to independent news, it plainly violates the First Amendment.”

One of Trump’s first executive orders upon beginning his second term was a directive instructing all federal agencies to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. The move is part of his broader effort to reinforce American territorial identity, which has also included previous attempts to acquire Greenland from Denmark, regain control of the Panama Canal Zone, and even explore annexation of Canada.

The renaming initiative aligns with Trump’s aggressive push to undo name changes made in recent years for cultural sensitivity. This includes restoring the name of Alaska’s tallest peak from Denali back to “Mount McKinley” and reversing the renaming of Fort Liberty in North Carolina to its original name, “Fort Bragg.”

In a historical twist, the base will now be named after Private First Class Roland Bragg, a World War II veteran, rather than Confederate General Braxton Bragg. While Trump’s executive order only mandates the name change for official government documents, some private companies have already adopted it. Notably, Google Maps has started displaying “Gulf of America” to users accessing the app from within the United States.

The AP’s pushback highlights growing tensions between the press and the Trump administration, particularly over press freedoms and government influence over independent journalism. The White House has not commented on the AP’s accusations, but the decision to limit media access over editorial choices has sparked debate over the administration’s treatment of the free press.

As the standoff between the AP and the White House unfolds, it raises broader questions about the extent of executive power in shaping narratives—and whether other media organizations will face similar pressure to comply.