Special Poll
The White House has announced that it will restrict Associated Press (AP) journalists from accessing the Oval Office and Air Force One indefinitely, marking an escalation in tensions between the Trump administration and the news organization.
According to White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich, the decision stems from what the administration views as AP’s refusal to recognize the official geographic name change of the Gulf of America. In a statement posted on the social platform X, Budowich accused the AP of spreading misinformation, stating that while the First Amendment protects their right to report as they choose, it does not guarantee them unlimited access to high-security areas such as the Oval Office and Air Force One.
Moving forward, Budowich said that these spaces would be made available to a wider range of journalists, including those who have previously been unable to cover these exclusive presidential events. Despite the restrictions, AP journalists and photographers will still retain their credentials to access the general White House complex.
In response, a spokesperson for the AP reaffirmed the organization’s stance on freedom of the press, emphasizing that the White House itself has publicly supported these values. The AP expressed concern that limiting coverage based on how a news outlet refers to a geographic location undermines the constitutional protections of a free press, which are essential to democracy.