Axios will use ‘Gulf of America’ but defends AP amid White House scrutiny

• Axios has decided to refer to the body of water as the “Gulf of America,” following a Trump administration executive order. Meanwhile, The Associated Press continues using the term “Gulf of Mexico,” which has caused tensions with the White House.
• The AP’s refusal to follow the name change led to limited access to White House events. It also escalated tensions over accusations of political bias.
• Media watchdog AllSides has rated the AP with a left-leaning political bias in recent years. AllSides continues to recognize Straight Arrow News for its center, unbiased coverage.

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Axios has decided to refer to the body of water along the southern U.S. coastline as the “Gulf of America.” It follows an executive order issued by the Trump administration that renamed it from the Gulf of Mexico.

In a post on X, Axios stated its priority is providing fact-based reporting. Axios clarified that it would use the term “Gulf of America (renamed by the U.S. from the Gulf of Mexico)” in its coverage, given that its primary audience is in the U.S.

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AP faces pushback from the White House

Some media outlets, including The Associated Press (AP), continue to refer to the body of water by its original name. It has led to tensions with the White House as a result. In response, the White House has limited the AP’s access to certain events.

“The Associated Press continues to ignore the lawful geographic name change of the Gulf of America. This decision is not just divisive, but it also exposes The Associated Press’ commitment to misinformation. 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.”

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich

The Associated Press has defended its decision to maintain the name “Gulf of Mexico.” They argue that as a global news agency, it must use recognizable names for geographic locations. Its full explanation was outlined in a statement regarding the naming controversy. The AP also emphasized that news organizations should be free to make editorial decisions without government interference.

In a letter to the White House chief of staff, AP Executive Editor Julie Pace condemned the actions as First Amendment violations.

“The actions taken by the White House were plainly intended to punish the AP for the content of its speech. This is viewpoint discrimination based on a news organization’s editorial choices and a clear violation of the First Amendment.”

AP Executive Editor Julie Pace

The White House confirmed the AP lost access to certain events for refusing to adopt the “Gulf of America” name. While AP photographers still retain credentials, the news agency has restricted access to the Oval Office and Air Force One. Other media outlets gained those privileges.

Axios suggests a broader media battle

The news outlet reported that the White House’s decision to limit the AP’s access may be part of a larger ongoing battle between the Trump administration and mainstream media. Axios reporter Marc Caputo cited a White House official who stated that the issue was about more than just the Gulf of America name. The official said it was also the AP’s supposed use of language to promote a partisan agenda.

The AP rejects claims of bias

In response to the White House’s criticism, a spokesperson for the AP rejected any accusations of bias.

Lauren Easton, vice president of corporate communications, told Axios that AP “is a global, fact-based, nonpartisan news organization with thousands of customers around the world who span the political spectrum. If AP journalism wasn’t factual and nonpartisan, this wouldn’t be the case.”

The AP emphasized its commitment to impartial reporting. However, some ratings from some media watchdogs show a political bias from the outlet.

Media watchdog ratings on the AP’s bias

According to AllSides, a media watchdog group that tracks bias in the media, the AP has shifted from a centrist rating between 2016 and 2021 to being considered left-leaning in 2022 and 2023. In 2024, AllSides rated AP as having a left bias.

AllSides wrote, “The Associated Press has historically been considered the “gold standard” of objective journalism. It operates a wire service, meaning local and national news organizations nationwide use AP’s content to fill gaps in their coverage. That means AP news content has an extremely wide impact and reach.

“As such, AllSides does particularly extensive analysis of AP. When AP displays political bias, or fails to portray political events, legislation, and perspectives in a balanced and even-handed way, the impact is broad and far-reaching. A media outlet that is relied upon by outlets all over the country deserves a high level of scrutiny when it comes to political bias.”

Straight Arrow News rated down the center

Straight Arrow News, a news outlet rated as centrist by AllSides, offers unbiased reporting and prides itself on providing objective, fact-based coverage.

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