Trump says he won’t allow ‘obsolete’ AP back in Oval Office until ‘Gulf of America’ style changed

President Trump is not backing down from a standoff between the White House and The Associated Press over the Gulf of America, the body of water previously known as the Gulf of Mexico that he changed the name of after taking office.

The AP’s style is to refer to the body of water on first reference by its previous name, which is recognized in other countries and many of the AP’s readers still might recognize.

The new guidance from the AP after Trump’s executive order said the outlet would refer to the body of water “by its original name while acknowledging the new name Trump has chosen.”

But Trump said on Tuesday the AP “refuses to go with what the law is,” in reference to an executive order he signed this month changing the name of the body of water.

The president noted that he intends to keep the wire service out of key White House spaces “until they agree” to change the style.

The AP on Tuesday said, “This is about the government telling the public and press what words to use and retaliating if they do not follow government orders. The White House has restricted AP’s coverage of presidential events because of how we refer to a location.”

Several press freedom groups and the White House Correspondents’ Association have condemned the decision and urged the Trump administration to reconsider.

The episode is being widely seen as the latest salvo in Trump’s long running combative relationship with the press.

“They’re doing us no favors, and I guess I’m not doing them any favors,” Trump said of the AP. “That’s the way life works.”

Updated at 10:18 a.m.