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Trump Triumphs in Court: AP Barred from the White House

A federal appeals court sides with Trump in controversial press access case — and enforces mention of the “Gulf of America.”

L: Associated Press, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons R: Daniel Torok, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
L: Associated Press, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons R: Daniel Torok, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Mikkel Preisler
By Mikkel Preisler 7. June 2025

Former President Donald Trump scored a significant legal victory in his ongoing battle with the Associated Press this week, as a federal appeals court ruled in his favor.

At the center of the dispute is a striking demand from Trump’s camp: media outlets must refer to the Mexican waters as the “Gulf of America” — or risk being denied access.

A Battle Over Words and Access

The case originated in February, when Trump’s administration denied the AP access to Air Force One and the Oval Office. The move came after the news agency refused to use the term “Gulf of America” in place of the internationally recognized “Gulf of Mexico.”

The AP responded by filing a lawsuit, citing violations of the First and Fifth Amendments. In April, U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden ruled in favor of the agency, ordering the White House to restore access and emphasizing that “the government cannot exclude journalists based on their viewpoints.”

But on Friday, the tide turned. In a 2-1 decision, the appeals court temporarily stayed McFadden’s ruling.

Trump: “Big WIN over AP!”

Trump wasted no time reacting. Posting on his own platform, Truth Social, he wrote:
“Big WIN over AP today. They refused to state the facts or the Truth on the GULF OF AMERICA. FAKE NEWS!!!”

With that, he doubled down on his stance that media outlets refusing to toe his line should not expect access to presidential platforms — a position that has sparked alarm among press freedom advocates.

Press Freedom Under Pressure

The White House Correspondents’ Association previously called the case a serious violation of free speech rights.

In an open letter, the group wrote: “The attempt to punish journalists for their editorial decisions is a grave breach of constitutional protections.”

As the legal battle continues, one thing is clear: Trump’s tactic of using access as a weapon against critical media is far from over.

This time, he’s won a crucial round — but the fight over the limits of press freedom is anything but settled.

Our team may have used AI to assist in the creation of this content, which has been reviewed by our editors.

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