White House Declares ‘Victory’ in Press Dispute, Displays ‘Gulf of America’ on TV Screens

Judge Denies AP’s Injunction, White House Declares Win in Press Freedom Clash

Washington DC [US], February 26:

The White House celebrated a legal victory on Monday after a federal judge ruled against the Associated Press (AP) in its lawsuit against the Trump administration over access restrictions. Two large television screens inside the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room flashed the words “Victory” and “Gulf of America” following the ruling.

US District Judge Trevor McFadden, a Trump appointee, denied AP’s request for an immediate injunction that would have restored its access to presidential events. A follow-up hearing is scheduled for March 20.

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White House vs. AP: The ‘Gulf of America’ Controversy

The dispute originated from Trump’s executive order renaming the ‘Gulf of Mexico’ to the ‘Gulf of America’. The AP refused to adopt the new terminology in its reporting, leading the Trump administration to revoke the news agency’s access to Oval Office briefings, Air Force One, and select White House events—privileges traditionally granted to AP as part of the press pool.

In response, AP filed a lawsuit on Friday against three senior White House officials:
✅ Susie Wiles – White House Chief of Staff
✅ Karoline Leavitt – White House Press Secretary
✅ Taylor Budowich – Deputy Chief of Staff

The lawsuit alleged that blocking AP violated its First and Fifth Amendment rights and was an attempt to “police speech” by forcing the news agency to comply with White House-preferred terminology.

“The Constitution does not allow the government to control speech. Allowing such government control and retaliation to stand is a threat to every American’s freedom,” AP said in a statement.

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White House Stands Firm, Media Organizations Back AP

Despite backlash, the White House defended its decision, stating that access to presidential events is a privilege, not a legal right.

“As we have said from the beginning, asking the President of the United States questions in the Oval Office and aboard Air Force One is a privilege granted to journalists, not a legal right,” the Trump administration said in a statement following the ruling.

The White House Correspondents’ Association and the Reporters’ Committee for Freedom of the Press condemned the move, with some journalists displaying “We Stand with AP” posters inside the press briefing room.

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Elon Musk Mocks AP, Calls It ‘Associated Propaganda’

Tech billionaire and Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk took to X (formerly Twitter) to mock AP, sharing a doctored image renaming ‘Associated Press’ as ‘Associated Propaganda.’

“Their new name is much more fitting,” Musk captioned the image.

With tensions between the White House and the press corps escalating, the March 20 hearing will determine whether AP regains access or if the Trump administration’s press restrictions remain intact.

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Tags: White House, Donald Trump, Associated Press, Gulf of America, Media Freedom, Press Access, First Amendment, Elon Musk, Karoline Leavitt, Taylor Budowich, Susie Wiles