The Associated Press was blocked from an event in the Oval Office at the White House on Tuesday, following disputes over the agency using the Gulf of Mexico instead of the Gulf of America.
Earlier, President Donald Trump announced that February 9 would be the first “Gulf of America Day,” a move that came after an executive order that set in motion the process of changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico.
Since the President has asked to change the name, but the AP is still calling it Gulf of Mexico which irked the Trump administration.
In a January 23 guidance, AP said it would refer to the Gulf of Mexico “by its original name while acknowledging the new name Trump has chosen.”
“As a global news agency that disseminates news around the world, the AP must ensure that place names and geography are easily recognizable to all audiences,” it added.
Subsequently, a second AP journalist was prevented from attending a late event in the White House’s Diplomatic Reception Room. This unprecedented restriction, which officials had warned about earlier that day, raises concerns about constitutional free-speech rights.
AP’s senior vice president and executive editor, Julie Pace, issued a statement condemning the administration’s actions as unacceptable.
“It is alarming that the Trump administration would punish AP for its independent journalism. Limiting our access to the Oval Office based on the content of AP’s speech not only severely impedes the public’s access to independent news, it plainly violates the First Amendment,” Pace said in a statement.
The administration remained silent about these actions, with no evidence of other journalists being affected. This follows Trump’s history of tension with media outlets. Recently, the administration removed a second group of news organisations from Pentagon office space.
Prior to his January 20 inauguration, Trump revealed plans to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” through an executive order. Mexico’s president responded with sarcasm, whilst others noted the change would likely not affect worldwide usage.
The Gulf of Mexico, named thus for over four centuries, borders both the United States and Mexico.
AP announced three days post-inauguration that it would maintain the Gulf of Mexico designation while acknowledging Trump’s renaming decision. As an international news organisation, AP emphasises the importance of using globally recognisable geographical names.
The AP Stylebook serves as a reference for journalists and writers worldwide, extending beyond the agency itself.
Tim Richardson, programme director of journalism and misinformation for PEN America, stated that barring AP reporters violated First Amendment press freedoms.
The White House Correspondents Association denounced the action and urged policy reversal.
“The White House cannot dictate how news organizations report the news, nor should it penalize working journalists because it is unhappy with their editors’ decision,” said Eugene Daniels, WHCA’s president.
Google Maps adopted “Gulf of America” citing their policy of following US government nomenclature. Apple Maps showed varying results, with some browsers displaying the new name while others showed both versions.
Trump also reversed the name of Alaska’s highest peak from Denali back to Mount McKinley, countering Barack Obama’s 2015 decision. AP agreed to use Mount McKinley, as it lies within US borders where Trump has naming authority.