Could Donald Trump‘s recent orders be a threat to journalism? In recent reports, Trump banned The Associated Press (AP) from attending Oval Office press events, reportedly due to the AP’s denial to refer to the ‘Gulf of Mexico’ as the ‘Gulf of America’. While this action has sparked speculation, in a strikingly similar case from 2009, Barack Obama’s administration also attempted to exclude Fox News from covering White House events.
Back then, the White House denied an interview with Treasury Department official Kenneth Feinberg, permitting access only to other leading networks. However, the Washington bureau chiefs of other outlets took a stand and refused to participate unless Fox News was included. Eventually, the Obama administration agreed and allowed Fox News to be a part of the White House again.
After this incident, Feinberg applauded the unity among media outlets, emphasizing that democracy depends on an unrestricted press. However, it remains unknown if the exact situation will occur after Donald Trump has now banned AP from attending press events. Even if other media associations were to protest, they could choose to engage only with pro-Trump outlets or avoid mainstream media entirely.
When Donald Trump returned to the White House for his second term, he announced his purpose to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America,” asserting that the United States conducts most of the activities in the region. Thus, the name change was fair. On January 20, 2025, Trump signed Executive Order 14172, directing the Interior Secretary to use the name “Gulf of America” for the part of the Gulf within U.S. jurisdiction. This change became effective for official use on January 24, 2025.
As per Poynter, the core contrast between the 2009 situation and now is that in 2009, Obama’s administration believed Fox News managed the line of both journalism and political advocacy. Senior adviser David Axelrod reportedly told Fox News chief Roger Ailes that the White House viewed the network as more of a talk radio platform than a fair news source. Still, the administration ultimately reversed its stance, allowing Fox News to press events.
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However, under Trump’s administration, the chances of reconsideration seem less since the motive is rather personal. Trump’s demand that the AP adopt the term Gulf of America has no relevance to any historical or factual moment. The AP, along with Bloomberg and The New Yorker, continues to use the term ‘Gulf of Mexico’. Some outlets, such as USA Today, have tried a middle ground, mentioning both names for a balanced stance.
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The Associated Press (AP) has chosen to resume using the standard name “Gulf of Mexico” in its reporting despite the executive order. Moreover, the press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, added that being a part of the White House Press team is a privilege and not a right. Hence, it looks like Trump’s latest move with the media questioned the security and future of independent journalism in the country.