The White House prevented a credentialed Associated Press (AP) reporter and photographer from boarding Air Force One on Friday, citing the news organization’s terminology regarding the Gulf of Mexico as the reason for their exclusion. This marked a notable intensification in the ongoing four-day disagreement between the AP and the White House over media access to presidential events.

This administration has barred the AP from several key events at the White House this week, including a press conference attended by India’s leader and multiple occasions in the Oval Office. The dispute stems from the AP’s refusal to adopt President Trump’s preferred terminology, which renames the Gulf as the “Gulf of America,” despite it being partially outside U.S. territory.

File photos and reports from AP are typically present whenever the president travels due to their longstanding role in the press “pool” that has existed for decades, providing journalism to millions of readers and numerous news outlets globally.

Journalism experts view this action by the administration as a breach of the First Amendment, interpreting it as an attempt to manipulate media narratives by limiting access under threat of punishment. In response, the Trump administration insists that the AP does not possess any unique entitlement to cover events where space is constrained, specifically pointing to their “commitment to misinformation.”

The AP firmly contests this claim.

“Freedom of speech is essential to American democracy and is a fundamental principle for every citizen. The White House has previously stated its support for these values,” stated AP spokesperson Lauren Easton on Friday evening. “Restricting our coverage of presidential events due to our terminology for a geographical feature undermines this crucial right protected by the U.S. Constitution for all citizens.”

The Gulf has been recognized as the Gulf of Mexico for centuries. The AP, which guides language standards for numerous news organizations via its widely respected stylebook, announced it would use both terms: Gulf of Mexico for its diverse global audience while also acknowledging Trump’s renaming directive within the U.S.

Interestingly, last month the AP adjusted its terminology from Denali to Mount McKinley regarding an Alaskan mountain, which is fully within U.S. jurisdiction and was renamed by Trump.

Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff for the White House, expressed via a post on X on Friday—later clarified as an official White House statement—that the AP “continues to disregard the lawful designation of the Gulf of America. This division not only reflects The Associated Press’ dedication to misinformation.”

Budowich further noted that while the First Amendment protects the AP’s “right to irresponsible reporting,” it does not guarantee unhindered access to restricted areas such as the Oval Office and Air Force One, asserting that the AP would retain overall White House credentials.

On Friday, an AP reporter and photographer arrived at Joint Base Andrews to join the traveling press pool heading to Trump’s residence in Florida. However, after passing through security, they were denied boarding on Air Force One due to an “outlet-specific” decision. Meanwhile, reporters who gained access to the plane shared images of cards bearing the names of the AP journalists on vacant seats that had been reserved for them.

Other news organizations, including The New York Times and The Washington Post, have indicated they will primarily refer to the body of water as the Gulf of Mexico, while Fox News has opted for Gulf of America.

The White House Correspondents Association has publicly denounced the actions taken against the AP. While private discussions are reportedly ongoing, individual news entities have largely refrained from commenting. On Friday, a spokesperson for The Times stated that they “unequivocally support The Associated Press in condemning the administration’s repeated acts of retaliation for editorial choices with which it disagrees. Any attempt to restrict access or hinder journalists’ work is counter to the freedoms assured by the Constitution.”

In a statement, The Washington Post emphasized that the AP’s access to the administration is vital for all journalistic entities, including The Washington Post, in delivering independent, fact-driven journalism to millions of Americans daily.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who recently described AP content as “lies,” shared insights about executive orders signed by Trump before his departure. She concluded with the remark: “The @AP was not invited.”

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David Bauder covers media topics for the AP. Follow him on Twitter and Bluesky.