Grade 2 of 5: Major Abuse of Power
Second-Term Press Attacks: AP Barred From Press Pool, Pool Access Restricted
The AP's exclusion from press pool events — a credentialed, nonpartisan wire service — was triggered by the AP's editorial decision to continue using 'Gulf of Mexico' rather than 'Gulf of America,' the name Trump had issued an executive order to adopt. AP's position was that it followed geographic naming standards and could not adopt a contested renaming while it was politically motivated. Press freedom organizations condemned the exclusion as retaliation against a news organization for its editorial decisions.