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

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the decision to block the Associated Press from access to an Oval Office event this week.

The White House said Wednesday that news organizations that refuse to use President Donald Trump’s new name for the Gulf of Mexico were telling “lies” and insisted it would continue to bar Associated Press journalists from presidential events.