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Chile! The White House is standing by its executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. And it’s down to punish any media outlets who don’t fall in line, starting with the Associated Press. On Wednesday (February 12), the White House said news organizations that refuse to use President Donald Trump’s new name for the Gulf were telling “lies.” Additionally, it insisted it would continue to bar AP journalists from presidential events.
What’s The Beef Between The White House & Associated Press?
As mentioned, President Trump has ordered that the international body of water that borders Mexico, the United States, and other nations be called the Gulf of America. In its Stylebook for the media, the AP said it would continue to use the Gulf of Mexico. Still, the White House isn’t setting aside its attempts at regulating language used by independent media.
On Tuesday, AP reporters were blocked from attending events in the Oval Office and the White House’s Diplomatic Reception Room. That slightly changed on Wednesday. An AP reporter was in the White House briefing room for White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Leavitt’s remarks. At that Wednesday briefing, Leavitt said that:
“…it is a fact that the body of water off the coast of Louisiana is called the Gulf of America, and I’m not sure why news outlets don’t want to call it that.”
In reality, the body lies partially in waters that don’t belong to the United States. It has also been called the Gulf of Mexico for more than 400 years. Later Wednesday, AP reporters were denied entry to the swearing-in of Tulsi Gabbard as national intelligence director in the Oval Office.
Julie Pace, AP’s senior vice president and executive editor, wrote to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles on Wednesday objecting to the moves.
“The actions taken by this White House were plainly intended to punish the AP for the content of its speech,” Pace wrote. “It is among the most basic tenets of the First Amendment that the government cannot retaliate against the public or the press for what they say.”
White House Says Oval Office Access Is A Privilege
Meanwhile, the White House isn’t backing down! In response, President Trump’s office said the Oval Office access is a privilege and that AP’s refusal to adopt the ‘Gulf of America’ name is why the news outlet is on the outs.
“Nobody has the right to go into the Oval Office and ask the president of the United States questions,” the White House Press Secretary Leavitt said. “We reserve the right to decide who gets to go into the Oval Office.
So, how does press coverage in the White House work? Generally, if White House events are in a tight space, only a small pool of journalists is allowed in. The AP has traditionally been part of that pool in past administrations.
The White House Press Secretary was asked if banning the Associated Press from that pool was retaliation. She replied that the Interior Secretary had codified the Gulf name change in official documents. As a result, “pretty much every other outlet in this room has recognized that body of water as the Gulf of America.”
And she’s right. Even the tech companies have fallen in line, from Apple to Google Maps. Folks who use Google Maps in the United States will now see the Gulf of America for the body of water’s name. Meanwhile, Mexican users would see “Gulf of Mexico.” Elsewhere in the world, Google identifies it as “Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America).”
Where Do Other Major News Outlets Stand?
A major consortium of news organizations, the Inter American Press Association, said Wednesday that the White House move was:
“…an act of censorship and intimidation that violates the freedom of the press enshrined in the United States Constitution.”
Many writers follow the AP style. However, the AP’s decision is influential because many organizations use it as a reference guide. Some larger outlets have their own rules.
The New York Times said it would continue to use the Gulf of Mexico. However, it will note Trump’s renaming in stories that discuss that issue. The Washington Post also said it would use the Gulf of Mexico in most references because it “is not solely within the United States’ jurisdiction.” Additionally, it feels the name “Gulf of America” might confuse its global readers. Fox News said that starting Sunday, it would use the Gulf of America in all of its references.
While the Associated Press is standing ten toes on the Gulf renaming, it is compromising on another. The president recently ordered that the United States’ tallest mountain revert to the name Mount McKinley. Barack Obama changed the Alaska peak to its Indigenous name, Denali, during his presidency. AP will abide by the change for one reason only. Trump has the power to rename areas that are solely within the United States.
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Associated Press Media Writer David Bauder contributed to this report.
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