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Axios has announced that it will follow the Trump administration’s decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America in its reporting. The news organization stated that since its audience is primarily U.S.-based, it will adopt the new terminology while still acknowledging the original name.
In a statement posted on the social platform X, Axios explained, “Our standard is to use ‘Gulf of America (renamed by U.S. from Gulf of Mexico)’ in our reporting because our audience is mostly U.S.-based compared to other publishers with international audiences.”
At the same time, Axios emphasized that government officials should not dictate how news organizations report the news. The statement added, “The AP and all news organizations should be free to report as they see fit.”
This announcement comes after the White House restricted the Associated Press’ access to the Oval Office and Air Force One due to its refusal to use the term Gulf of America in news coverage. White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich criticized the AP in a post on X, stating that the news agency was ignoring the “lawful geographic name change.”
The decision to limit the AP’s access marks an escalation in tensions between the Trump administration and the news organization. In response, the AP defended its editorial independence, releasing a statement that read, “Freedom of speech is a pillar of American democracy and a core value of the American people.”
The AP further argued that restricting press access over a reporting choice threatens constitutional rights. A spokesperson stated, “The actions taken to restrict AP’s coverage of presidential events because of how we refer to a geographic location chip away at this important right enshrined in the U.S. Constitution for all Americans.”
Shortly after the White House’s statement, an AP journalist was denied entry to a presidential ceremony in the Oval Office. This dispute began following the AP’s January 23rd editorial guidance, which stated that while it would acknowledge the administration’s decision, it would continue referring to the body of water by its historically recognized name, the Gulf of Mexico.