(Reuters)—A federal judge is set to hear the Associated Press (AP) ‘s request on Monday, February 24, 2025, to restore full access for its journalists after the Trump administration barred them from continuing to refer to the Gulf of Mexico in news coverage.
U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, a Trump appointee, will consider the AP’s motion for a temporary restraining order against the administration at 3 p.m. ET (2000 GMT) in Washington federal court.
Lawsuit Against the Administration
The AP filed a lawsuit on Friday against three senior Trump aides, arguing that restricting its reporters from the Oval Office and Air Force One violates the First Amendment, which protects against government interference in press freedom. The news agency is seeking immediate reinstatement of its access to all areas available to the White House press pool.
White House spokesperson Steven Cheung dismissed the lawsuit as a “blatant PR stunt.” At the Conservative Political Action Conference last week, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the administration’s stance, stating, “We feel we are in the right in this position.”
Leavitt, along with Chief of Staff Susan Wiles and Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich, are named as defendants in the lawsuit. Wiles and Budowich have not responded to requests for comment. The White House has also not issued a statement regarding the matter as of Sunday.
Controversy Over Renaming the Gulf of Mexico
The dispute stems from an executive order signed by President Trump last month, directing the U.S. Interior Department to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.”
In January, the AP announced that it would continue to use the Gulf of Mexico’s long-established name while also acknowledging the administration’s renaming efforts. In response, the White House banned AP reporters, preventing them from covering the president and top officials in real time.
The White House Correspondents’ Association and several press freedom organizations have condemned the ban, while Reuters has publicly expressed support for the AP.
