The White House celebrated a judge’s decision on Monday, with television screens in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room displaying the words “Victory” and “Gulf of America.” This came after the Trump administration blocked the Associated Press (AP) in an ongoing dispute over the use of the term “Gulf of America.”
US District Judge Trevor McFadden, a Trump appointee, denied the Associated Press’ request for an immediate injunction to prevent the administration from barring its reporters from official events. The judge also scheduled a follow-up hearing for the case on March 20.
The conflict started when the AP refused to adopt the term “Gulf of America” after President Donald Trump renamed the “Gulf of Mexico” through an executive order. In retaliation, the Trump administration began restricting the AP’s access to key areas such as the Oval Office and Air Force One, typically open to members of the White House press pool.
On Friday, the AP filed a lawsuit against three White House officials—Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, and Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich—alleging that the administration’s actions were unconstitutional.
Support for the AP has grown, with a “We Stand with AP” poster spotted in the White House briefing room. Both the White House Correspondents’ Association and the Reporters’ Committee for Freedom of the Press have expressed solidarity with the news agency.
Following Monday’s court ruling, the White House reaffirmed its stance. “As we have said from the beginning, asking the President of the United States questions in the Oval Office and aboard Air Force One is a privilege granted to journalists, not a legal right,” the administration stated.
The Associated Press countered that the administration’s decision constitutes a constitutional violation, arguing that the government’s attempt to police its language breaches the First and Fifth Amendments. “The Constitution does not allow the government to control speech,” the AP stated in its complaint. “Allowing such government control and retaliation to stand is a threat to every American’s freedom.”
Adding a layer of controversy, Elon Musk, the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, mocked the situation on social media. In a post on X, Musk suggested a “new name” for the AP, calling it “Associated Propaganda.”