Press Freedom Battle Heats Up Over Gulf Naming \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ The Associated Press is petitioning for a full appellate court rehearing after a panel ruled President Trump can continue limiting its access to certain events. The case centers on the AP’s refusal to adopt Trump’s preferred renaming of the Gulf of Mexico. Press freedom advocates warn the decision threatens core First Amendment protections.
Quick Looks
- AP asks full D.C. appeals court to review press access ruling.
- A three-judge panel ruled 2-1 in favor of Trump’s limits.
- The case stems from AP’s refusal to rename Gulf of Mexico.
- AP claims retaliation violates First Amendment speech protections.
- Two of three judges who sided with Trump were Trump appointees.
- AP’s access to Air Force One and the Oval Office has declined.
- Historically, AP had pool access to limited-space events.
- A full court rehearing could shift the legal outcome.
Deep Look
In a mounting battle over press freedoms and presidential power, the Associated Press on Tuesday requested a rare full-court rehearing from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, seeking to reverse a panel decision that allowed the Trump administration to continue restricting the AP’s access to certain White House events.
The request comes after a 2-1 ruling last Friday by a three-judge panel that effectively gave President Donald Trump the green light to exclude AP reporters from the Oval Office and other small, closed-door gatherings — a punishment widely viewed as retaliation for the AP’s refusal to comply with the administration’s request to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.”
At the heart of the case is a growing debate over the limits of the First Amendment when it comes to journalistic access to the presidency. For decades, AP journalists have been part of the White House press pool — a small group of rotating reporters who cover the president in restricted spaces such as Air Force One, the Oval Office, and bilateral meetings.
But that changed in February, when the White House began excluding AP text reporters from these events, although AP photographers were still occasionally permitted. The exclusion followed the AP’s decision to maintain its editorial standard by continuing to refer to the body of water as the Gulf of Mexico, despite Trump’s request to use the term “Gulf of America” in official coverage.
In April, a district court ruled in favor of the AP, saying the administration had violated the news outlet’s First Amendment rights by denying access as punishment for content-based editorial decisions. However, the appellate panel reversed that ruling, granting the administration a temporary pause and effectively reinstating the restriction — for now.
“The decision of the appellate panel to pause the district court’s order allows the White House to discriminate and retaliate over words it does not like — a violation of the First Amendment,” said Patrick Maks, a spokesperson for the AP. “We are seeking a rehearing of this decision by the full appellate court because an essential American principle is at stake.”
The implications of the panel’s ruling extend far beyond a naming dispute. If upheld, it could set a precedent that allows presidents to punish or exclude media outlets based on editorial content, which press freedom advocates say would constitute an erosion of constitutional protections. Legal scholars and advocacy groups have warned that such decisions chip away at norms protecting a free and independent press.
There’s also a political dimension to the legal battle. Both judges in the panel’s majority — who ruled in favor of Trump — were appointed by him, while the full D.C. Circuit Court includes nine judges appointed by Democrats and six by Republicans. That broader makeup raises the possibility that the full court could view the case differently.
As it stands, only an AP photographer now routinely gains access to the most limited-space White House events. AP reporters, once mainstays of presidential pool coverage, are now frequently excluded, sidelining one of the most globally influential news organizations, whose work feeds into thousands of newspapers, radio stations, websites, and TV broadcasts around the world.
Founded in 1846, the AP has long held a key role in presidential press coverage, considered a neutral and essential outlet by both Democratic and Republican administrations. Its demotion from standard pool access has been viewed as a significant shift in the executive branch’s relationship with the media.
This case also taps into broader trends in Trump’s presidency, including his frequent attacks on the media, whom he has labeled “the enemy of the people.” Limiting media access, critics argue, is part of a broader strategy to control public narratives and marginalize dissenting voices.
The Gulf of Mexico controversy, while seemingly symbolic, has taken on outsized significance. By asking media outlets to rename a recognized geographic location, the Trump administration sparked a test of how far a president can go in demanding editorial compliance — and what consequences, if any, there should be for those who refuse.
In its request for a rehearing en banc (by the full court), the AP argues that the appellate panel’s decision jeopardizes the constitutional principle that the government cannot retaliate against speech it dislikes. While presidents are under no obligation to include any specific outlet in pool coverage, the argument hinges on whether exclusion based on editorial content constitutes punishment — and therefore a violation of the First Amendment.
The full court’s potential review will not only determine the fate of AP’s White House access, but also shape how future administrations can interact with the press. If the Trump administration’s actions are upheld, future presidents — regardless of party — could be emboldened to exclude unfavorable press coverage under the guise of discretion over limited space.
A hearing date for the rehearing request has not yet been set. If the full court declines to take the case, the panel’s ruling will stand, allowing the administration to continue restricting access to retaliate over editorial choices. However, if the court agrees to rehear the matter, the final decision could realign the balance between presidential control and press freedoms in the digital age.
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