Trump Bans Associated Press for Using These ‘Divisive’ 3 Words

In a bold move that has the media establishment in an uproar, President Donald Trump’s administration has barred The Associated Press from accessing the Oval Office and Air Force One. The reason? The AP’s refusal to adopt the White House’s newly endorsed name for the Gulf of Mexico: the “Gulf of America.”

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich announced the decision Friday, citing the AP’s “continued refusal to recognize the lawful geographic name change” as evidence of the outlet’s “commitment to misinformation.”

“The Associated Press has every right to engage in biased reporting,” Budowich stated. “But the First Amendment does not entitle them to unlimited access to the most exclusive locations in the world.”

A Press Feud Over a Name

The controversy stems from Trump’s executive order, signed aboard Air Force One on February 9, officially renaming the Gulf of Mexico within U.S. government documents. “It’s time we take back our heritage,” Trump told reporters at the time. “America’s waters deserve an American name.”

The AP, however, announced that it would continue referring to the body of water as the Gulf of Mexico in its reporting, arguing that the rest of the world recognizes that name. This defiance, the White House says, made the AP’s press privileges untenable.

“They had a choice,” Budowich continued. “They chose to side with globalist language instead of standing with America.”

The Media Backlash

Julie Pace, the AP’s executive editor, decried the move, calling it “a clear attack on press freedom.”

“The Trump administration is punishing the AP for refusing to participate in government-mandated speech,” Pace said. “This is not just about us. It’s about ensuring the press remains independent of any administration.”

The White House Correspondents’ Association quickly jumped in, accusing the Trump administration of violating the First Amendment.

“This is blatant government retaliation against a free press,” WHCA President Eugene Daniels declared. “If the president can silence one major news organization, he can silence any of them.”

A Reshaped Press Corps

Trump’s second term has seen an intentional shift in press relations. The administration has given greater access to conservative outlets while limiting the reach of traditional mainstream media. Last month, the Department of Defense reassigned dedicated Pentagon press offices from outlets like The New York Times and NBC News to Breitbart News and One America News.

The AP, once a staple of White House press coverage, now finds itself on the outside looking in. Meanwhile, Trump allies have cheered the decision.

“If you don’t want to play fair, you don’t get to play at all,” conservative commentator Tucker Carlson remarked Friday. “The media should remember—it’s a privilege, not a right, to have access to the President of the United States.”

While the AP remains credentialed for general White House coverage, its reporters will now watch key presidential moments from a distance—a stark reminder that in Trump’s America, loyalty to the administration’s vision matters.