Karoline Leavitt's Feud with Associated Press Deepens Amid Gulf Name Debate

White House vs. AP: Dispute Intensifies

The ongoing dispute between White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and the Associated Press (AP) escalated further this week as she dismissed the outlet's reporting on federal employee terminations as "fake news." The White House / YouTube

Leavitt Dismisses AP Report on DOGE Harassment Claim

Leavitt took to X (formerly Twitter) to counter an AP report stating that an employee claimed to have been harassed on Facebook by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) before being fired. She rejected the claims, stating, "DOGE doesn’t even have a Facebook page." @PressSec / X

Fired Employee Alleges Social Media Harassment—But by Whom?

The terminated employee, Charles Spitzer-Stadtlander, reported that a Facebook account under the name “Department of Government Efficiency” reacted to his posts with laughing emojis before engaging with older posts in his feed. However, at least six accounts exist with the same name, making it unclear who operates them. Pixabay / Pexels

AP Banned from Oval Office Over ‘Gulf of America’ Controversy

The AP has been barred from attending events in the Oval Office after refusing to acknowledge President Donald Trump’s renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. The White House accused the news agency of spreading "lies" and confirmed that AP reporters would continue to be denied access to presidential events. Executive Office of the President of the United States / Wikimedia

FAA Employee Dismissals Raise Questions

Further controversy surrounds the administration’s firing of hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees just weeks after a fatal midair collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Trump has blamed diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring practices for the incident, according to The New York Times.

Late-night emails on Friday informed probationary FAA employees of their termination. David Spero, president of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union, confirmed the dismissals, which affected those working in radar, landing, and navigational aid maintenance. The White House insists that no air traffic controllers or critical safety personnel were among those fired. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated on X that fewer than 400 employees were affected, reinforcing that “zero air traffic controllers and critical safety personnel were let go.”

Despite these claims, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association is assessing how the dismissals impact aviation safety and national airspace operations. United States Federal Aviation Administration / Wikimedia

AP Condemns White House for Retaliation Against the Press

The AP remains vocal in condemning the administration's treatment of the press. Julie Pace, AP’s senior vice president and executive editor, wrote to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, objecting to the White House’s actions. "The actions taken by this White House were plainly intended to punish the AP for the content of its speech," Pace wrote, emphasizing that such moves violate the First Amendment’s protection of press freedom. DJTechYT / Wikimedia

Leavitt Doubles Down on ‘Gulf of America’ Renaming

Leavitt, however, remains firm in her stance, maintaining at a recent briefing that “it is a fact that the body of water off the coast of Louisiana is called the Gulf of America, and I’m not sure why news outlets don’t want to call it that.” BruceSchaff / Wikimedia