AP Banned from White House for Refusing to Rename Gulf of Mexico
By The Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) has been barred from attending a White House event because it declined to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America," as ordered by President Trump.
Following Trump's executive order on January 20, Apple Maps and Google Maps have renamed the body of water as the "Gulf of America." However, AP previously announced its intention to continue using the established name "Gulf of Mexico."
On Tuesday, Julie Pace, AP executive editor, stated that the White House informed them that barring AP from access to its events would be a consequence of not aligning with Trump's name change order. An AP reporter was subsequently blocked from attending an executive order signing at the White House.
"It is alarming that the Trump administration would punish AP for its independent journalism," Pace said. "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 White House Correspondents' Association and National Press Club condemned the administration's action as an attack on press freedom, calling for an immediate reversal.
Punishing journalists for not using government-imposed terminology constitutes viewpoint discrimination and is unconstitutional. Trump has the authority to change official government terminology but cannot dictate how news organizations report it.
The free press holds those in power accountable and should not serve as a government mouthpiece. Any attempts to erode this fundamental freedom by the government should be met with condemnation.