A previously undisclosed dispute over a photograph contributed to the White House’s decision to temporarily ban The Associated Press from covering certain events during the early weeks of Donald Trump’s second term, according to a new report.
While the White House initially stated that the restrictions, which drew widespread condemnation, were imposed because the AP refused to adopt Trump’s preferred name for the Gulf of Mexico, the “Gulf of America,” The New York Times reported that another factor was at play. The news wire service’s decision not to grant the Trump team rights to a photo of Trump with a raised fist after an assassination attempt in July 2024 also fueled the ban.
White House aides reportedly communicated this additional reason to Trump and network anchors during a private lunch in 2025, according to the Times report. The AP had been barred from attending multiple White House events in February 2025, including a Q&A session with Trump and Elon Musk, who was then leading a federal effort to cut government jobs.
At the time of the ban, the AP stated it would continue to use the body of water’s established name while acknowledging Trump’s preferred designation. A federal judge later ruled that the ban violated the First Amendment.
Trump’s efforts to rename geographical features and places have continued beyond the AP dispute. He has previously signed an executive order changing Lake Ontario to “Lake America” and has suggested rebranding New Mexico as “New America.”