The White House barred an Associated Press reporter from attending an event in the Oval Office on Tuesday, following a demand for the news outlet to change its style regarding the Gulf of Mexico, which had been renamed to Gulf of America through an executive order by President Donald Trump, the AP reports.
According to AP executives, the reporter attempted to enter the event on Tuesday afternoon but was denied access. The ban came after Trump officials threatened such action earlier that day unless the AP agreed to modify its stance on the Gulf’s new name, a move that could raise concerns about the First Amendment.
Julie Pace, the senior vice president and executive editor of The Associated Press, condemned the administration’s actions, calling them unacceptable.
“It is alarming that the Trump administration would punish AP for its independent journalism,” Pace stated. “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.”
The Trump administration has not made any immediate comments regarding the incident, and there was no indication that other reporters were affected.
Before taking office on January 20, Trump had revealed plans to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” and signed an executive order to implement the change once he was in power. Mexico’s president responded with sarcasm, and many observed that the name change would likely have little impact on its use internationally.
This week, Google Maps adopted the term “Gulf of America,” citing its “longstanding practice” of following U.S. government directives on such matters. Meanwhile, Apple Maps continued to use “Gulf of Mexico.”
In response to the change, the Associated Press stated last month, just days after Trump’s inauguration, that it would retain the name Gulf of Mexico while acknowledging the president’s decision to rename it. As a global news organization, the AP emphasized the importance of using names that are universally recognized, ensuring clarity for all audiences worldwide.
The executive order on the Gulf of America also brought back the name Mount McKinley, named after the 25th president, for the mountain in Alaska, replacing its Indigenous name, Denali. President Barack Obama had officially renamed it Denali in 2015. In the same statement, the AP noted that it would adhere to the official name change to Mount McKinley, given that the mountain is located entirely within the United States and that Trump has the legal authority to alter federal geographical names within the country.
{Matzav.com}