President Donald Trump defended barring the Associated Press from the Oval Office and other high-profile, limited media events until it recognized the “Gulf of America” in its coverage, his first public comments on his administration’s increasing public hostility toward the wire service.

The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) condemned the Trump administration for a second time Thursday following The Associated Press’s expulsion from the president’s reporter pool due to an editorial decision.

"The Associated Press continues to ignore the lawful geographic name change of the Gulf of America," a White House official said.