AP reporter barred from White House event over ‘Gulf of America’
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In another executive order, Mr Donald Trump declared that the Gulf of Mexico would henceforth be called the Gulf of America.
PHOTO: AFP
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WASHINGTON - The Associated Press (AP) said on Feb 11 that its White House reporter was barred from an event with US President Donald Trump over the top US news agency’s refusal to follow his order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
“We were informed by the White House that if AP did not align its editorial standards with President Trump’s executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America
“This afternoon, AP’s reporter was blocked from attending an executive order signing.”
In another executive order after taking office in January, Mr Trump declared that the Gulf of Mexico would henceforth be called the Gulf of America.
He called the body of water – which also borders Mexico and has previously always been known in both countries as the Gulf of Mexico – an “indelible part of America” critical to US oil production and fishing and “a favourite destination for American tourism and recreation activities”.
Ms Pace, in her statement, said “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,” she said.
In a style note in January, AP said Mr Trump’s executive order carries authority only within the US.
“Mexico, as well as other countries and international bodies, do not have to recognise the name change,” it said, adding that “the Gulf of Mexico has carried that name for more than 400 years”.
“The Associated Press will refer to it by its original name while acknowledging the new name Trump has chosen,” the news agency said.
“As a global news agency that disseminates news around the world, the AP must ensure that place names and geography are easily recognisable to all audiences,” it added.
The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA), which advocates for the media covering the US presidency, branded the barring of AP “unacceptable” and called on the Trump administration to “immediately change course”.
“The White House cannot dictate how news organisations report the news, nor should it penalise working journalists because it is unhappy with their editors’ decisions,” WHCA head Eugene Daniels said in a statement.
Mr Trump also signed an executive order changing the name of the highest mountain in North America, Denali in Alaska, to Mount McKinley.
The AP said it would refer to Mount McKinley since it “lies solely in the United States and, as president, Trump has the authority to change federal geographical names within the country”.
The AP is the biggest US news agency, and for years its stylebook – a compendium of the organisation’s rules for correct usage of grammar and language – has been a go-to reference for newsrooms and corporate offices. AFP
