"NEW YORK — President Donald Trump’s executive order was clear: The Gulf of Mexico was out after hundreds of years. The Gulf of America was its name now.
But The Associated Press decided to keep the original name for its style and also note that Trump changed it. Trump limited the global news outlet’s access to some presidential events. The AP sued.
A federal judge hearing the case this week observed that it seemed an obvious constitutional problem, calling Trump’s actions “pretty clearly viewpoint discrimination.”
Viewpoint discrimination is when the government treats speech differently based on the words used or the viewpoint expressed. It’s often an important concept in trademark law and free speech disputes because it can violate the First Amendment’s protections.
Observers said the judge, a Trump appointee and former law enforcement officer, left the impression that he saw it as a weak spot in Trump’s case. Discriminating against someone for the content of their speech, or writing, is one of the highest hurdles in constitutional law."
Michael Weissenstein reports for the Associated Press February 28, 2025.
SEE ALSO:
"Trump’s Opponents See A Sweeping Crackdown On Free Speech" (Washington Post)
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