Take action: The Associated Press should not be barred from the White House.

One of the very first executive orders signed by President Donald Trump attempts to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

But under international law, the American government doesn’t have the authority to change the name of the entire Gulf worldwide — and most countries, including Mexico and Cuba, aren’t accepting the name change.

Likewise, noting that the area has carried the name the Gulf of Mexico for more than 400 years, The Associated Press, better known as the AP, decided not to change the name in their reporting.

In retaliation, the Trump administration barred the AP’s reporters from the White House press pool and events. It hasn’t stopped there. They followed up by announcing they intend to cherry-pick friendly media to join the press pool instead, breaking more than a century of independence granted by every Republican and Democratic administration before this one.

This is an unacceptable attack on freedom of the press, in violation of the First Amendment.

The AP has sued to regain access, arguing that the administration’s goal is to coerce journalists to use “only government-approved language” in reporting.

The administration doesn’t have to wait until the court orders them to act, but they won’t change course unless they hear from the American people.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt needs to hear from you. Demand the White House reinstate The Associated Press now.

YES, I’LL SIGN →

The AP has been a member of the White House press pool since it was founded in 1846. Having earned the honor of 59 Pulitzer Prizes, the AP is respected for its journalism with a worldwide reach of over 4 billion people per day.

The First Amendment guarantees freedom of the press and the right to free speech. The Fifth Amendment grants due process, and the AP was not given a formal opportunity to challenge the ban before it was implemented.

The bottom line is that as White House Correspondents’ Association chief Eugene Daniels wrote in his statement: “The president cannot dictate how news organizations report the news.”

The Intercept is not alone in calling for action.

Forty media outlets, ranging from Fox News and CNN to the Washington Post and the New York Times, have called on the White House to change course and reinstate the AP.

Now it’s time for the White House to hear from you too. Please take a moment to send your message of support and demand for action now.