After repeatedly stopping reporters from the Associated Press from being in the same room as President Donald Trump, the White House on Friday doubled down, appearing to bar the organization’s journalists from traveling on Air Force One as well.
The feud, which the White House Correspondents’ Association has called a violation of the First Amendment and Trump’s own executive order on free speech, began Tuesday and stems from AP’s recent decision to ignore the president’s Day 1 order renaming the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America.”
In a post on X, Trump deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich said that ignoring the “lawful” renaming is “divisive” and “exposes the Associated Press’ commitment to misinformation.”
He continued: “While their right to irresponsible and dishonest reporting is protected by the First Amendment, it does not ensure their privilege of unfettered access to limited spaces, like the Oval Office and Air Force One. Going forward, that space will now be opened up to the many thousands of reporters who have been barred from covering these intimate areas of the administration. Associate[d] Press journalists and photographers will retain their credentials to the White House complex.”
