Overview

• AP journalists were blocked from an Oval Office event on April 14, 2025, despite a federal court injunction issued last week mandating their reinstatement to the White House press pool.
• The dispute stems from the AP's refusal to adopt President Trump's directive to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the 'Gulf of America' in its reporting.
• U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden ruled that the exclusion of AP on the basis of viewpoint violates the First Amendment and ordered immediate restoration of access.
• The Trump administration is appealing the court's decision and argues that changes to press access may not be required until the appeals process is complete.
• This marks the latest confrontation between the administration and the press, raising broader concerns about government control over media access and the erosion of free speech protections.