AP Fights White House Ban Over Gulf of Mexico Naming Dispute 

United States: On Monday, Judge Trevor McFadden will examine the Associated Press’s request to reinstate news agency journalist access following the Trump administration’s restriction based on the use of Gulf of Mexico terminology in their coverage, as reported by Reuters. 

A hearing before U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, who belongs to Trump’s appointment, will determine whether the AP will obtain a temporary restraining order against White House administration policy at 3 p.m. ET (2000 GMT) in Washington federal court. 

First Amendment Rights at Stake 

According to the Associated Press litigation against three senior Trump administration officials, the officials are violating First Amendment protections, which protect press freedom by trying to dictate reporting terminology despite violating the U.S. Constitution. The news agency is fighting to regain full access to White House areas provided for members of the press pool at this moment. 

White House spokesman Steven Cheung labeled the lawsuit as a “blatant PR stunt” through his official statement. Last week at the Conservative Political Action Conference, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed, “We feel we are in the right in this position.” 

As per the lawsuit the White House chief spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt stands alongside two other White House officials named as defendants. The White House staff, comprising Susan Wiles and Taylor Budowich, has yet to provide comments regarding recent requests. 

The White House team did not provide comments regarding this matter on Sunday. 

Background of the Naming Dispute 

In the past month Trump issued an executive directive that required the U.S. Interior Department to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. 

The AP announced in January its intention to utilize the Gulf’s traditional designation in news articles with additional recognition of Trump’s name-change campaign. Following the White House’s prohibition AP lost access to its journalists. Under the White House ban AP reporters are unable to photograph or listen to Trump and other senior officials while they undertake news-making actions or provide immediate responses to developing events, as reported by Reuters. 

Multiple press freedom organizations, along with the White House Correspondents’ Association, have voiced their opposition to this action. The news organization Reuters issued a public declaration backing its reporter who was being subjected to the AP’s restrictions.