The Trump administration barred an Associated Press (AP) reporter because the news service refused to update its style guide to comply with an executive order that renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
According to the AP, its reporter was barred from entering the White House on Feb. 11.
The AP did not name the reporter, who followed regular procedures but was denied entry. Another reporter attempting to enter the White House Diplomatic Reception Room was also rejected.
“Today, we were informed by the White House that if AP did not align its editorial standards with President Donald Trump’s executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, AP would be
barred from accessing an event in the Oval Office,” Julie Pace, the Associated Press’ senior vice president, said in a statement. “This afternoon, AP’s reporter was blocked from attending an executive order signing.”Pace sent a letter to the White House to express her opposition to the move.
As the executive order changed the name of the shared territory, the AP chose to continue using the name “easily recognizable to all audiences.”
“The body of water has shared borders between the U.S. and Mexico. Trump’s order only carries authority within the United States. Mexico, as well as other countries and international bodies, do not have to recognize the name change.”
“It is alarming that the Trump administration would punish AP for its independent journalism,” Pace said. “It plainly violates the First Amendment.”
The AP, which honored Denali’s change to Mount McKinley since it lies fully in American territory, did not reveal plans to take action.
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