Washington, D.C., February 18, 2025 – U.S. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he will bar the Associated Press from the Oval Office until the news organization adopts a change in its style guidelines regarding the naming of the Gulf of Mexico.

Trump stated that the area should be referred to as the “Gulf of America” in compliance with his recent executive order.

Speaking to reporters in Florida, Trump said, “I don't know what they're doing, but I just say that we're going to keep them out until such time as they agree that it's the Gulf of America.” He added that the White House had already barred the AP from official events over its refusal to conform to the mandated terminology.

According to Trump, he believes that some of the phrases used by the AP are “ridiculous” and “obsolete,” and he criticized the news organization for not “going with what the law is.” He further remarked on what he described as the AP’s repeated errors in reporting on the election and issues involving his administration and conservative viewpoints.

Trump’s comments come amid a broader dispute over language and style preferences, with his administration insisting on the use of “Gulf of America” in official communications. The executive order, which calls for the change, has not yet been independently verified by external sources.

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