The Associated Press (AP) was banned from the Oval Office and Air Force One shortly after President Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration, with the Trump administration citing multiple reasons, including the AP’s refusal to grant rights to an iconic photo of the president taken during an assassination attempt, according to a New York Times report.
The White House has not directly communicated this reasoning to the AP, and the administration has not yet responded to requests for comment. The ban has since sparked a First Amendment legal battle in court, with the AP asserting its right to operate without government interference.
Key developments in the dispute:
- The AP was barred from White House access in early 2025, following a long-standing disagreement over the outlet’s continued use of the term “Gulf of Mexico” despite Trump’s 2025 directive renaming it the “Gulf of America.”
- The New York Times reported that White House aides also linked the ban to the AP’s refusal to grant the administration rights to a viral photo of Trump taken after the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, where the president was grazed by gunfire.
- The photo, taken by AP photographer Evan Vucci, captured the moment Trump was rushed offstage by Secret Service agents during the attack, which occurred as he spoke about immigration under the Biden administration.
- The gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was identified by authorities as the shooter who fired from a nearby rooftop, killing two men at the scene before being fatally shot by Secret Service agents.
AP’s response and legal stance
A spokesman for the AP stated that the organization remains “focused on continuing to stand for the right of the public and the press to speak freely without government retaliation or control.” The outlet has not received an official explanation from the White House regarding the ban, despite the reported connection to the photo rights dispute.
Timeline of events leading to the ban
- July 13, 2024: Trump survives an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, during a campaign rally. The attack prompts heightened Secret Service security measures.
- 2025: Trump is re-inaugurated as president and issues directives, including the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. The AP continues to use the original name.
- Early 2025: The AP is banned from the Oval Office and Air Force One, with the White House citing the Gulf of Mexico dispute and, per the New York Times report, the AP’s refusal to grant rights to the Butler shooting photo.
- Ongoing: The ban has led to a First Amendment legal battle, with the AP challenging the administration’s actions in court. The case is currently under review.
Ongoing implications
The dispute raises questions about government control over media access and the use of official imagery, as well as the legal boundaries of executive authority in restricting press access. The AP’s legal challenge centers on whether the ban constitutes unconstitutional retaliation against a news organization for exercising its First Amendment rights.