Trump Judge Hands WH Setback in ‘Gulf of America’ Spat

The Associated Press took the White House to court and won – for now – after getting its access clipped for refusing to call the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America.”

President Trump wasn’t happy when the wire service stuck to the old name despite his executive order renaming the body of water. Trump said AP’s access would be limited until they got with the program, arguing the name change reflected pride in the country.

A judge ruled in favor of AP and ruled the Trump admin must rescind their denial of AP's access to spaces that are made open to other members of the White House press pool. https://t.co/bw7wSuLUvq

— Media Research Center (@theMRC) April 9, 2025

AP fired back with a lawsuit, claiming the White House was playing dirty pool, violating their First Amendment rights by retaliating against their editorial decisions.

In a surprising twist, U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden, a Trump appointee, sided with the press. McFadden ruled that while the White House doesn’t have to give AP special treatment, it can’t lock them out just because they don’t like what AP writes – or what names they use. The judge stated the government can’t boot journalists based on viewpoint.

Press freedom groups cheered the decision, calling the ban a threat to covering the presidency. The White House Correspondents’ Association had backed AP’s fight.

The White House has a week to decide whether to appeal the ruling. This latest scuffle highlights the ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and the media over press freedom and who controls the narrative.