The White House's outright attempt at regulating language used by independent media — and the punitive measures attached to it — mark a sharp escalation in Trump's often fraught dealings with news organizations.

The Associated Press is suing three Trump administration officials after being barred from some White House events and spaces, citing a violation of First and Fifth Amendment rights. The lawsuit — filed in federal district court in Washington — comes after over a week of the White House punishing the AP for not changing its guidelines on the Gulf of Mexico — which President Donald Trump renamed the “Gulf of America.