The White House announced on Wednesday that it would continue to exclude Associated Press (AP) journalists from presidential events if they refuse to use President Donald Trump’s new designation for the Gulf of Mexico. According to the White House, news organizations that stick to the traditional name are spreading misinformation and will face consequences.
President Trump has renamed the international body of water that borders multiple countries as the Gulf of America instead of the Gulf of Mexico. In response, the AP has decided to uphold the use of Gulf of Mexico in its Stylebook while acknowledging Trump’s alternative name to ensure global recognition of geographical features.
The White House’s recent actions, attempting to regulate the language used by independent media outlets and imposing penalties for non-compliance, represent a significant escalation in Trump’s interactions with the press.
During a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the name change, insisting that the body of water near Louisiana should be referred to as the Gulf of America. Despite the fact that parts of the water do not belong to the United States and that it has been historically known as the Gulf of Mexico for centuries.
In response to the AP’s continued use of the traditional name, reporters from the organization were blocked from attending events in the Oval Office and the Diplomatic Reception Room. AP’s Senior Vice President and Executive Editor, Julie Pace, expressed objections to these actions, stating that retaliating against the media for their speech violates the First Amendment.
The White House justified its decision to limit access to the Oval Office, emphasizing that it is a privilege and not a right for journalists to question the president. The administration also pointed out that the Interior Secretary has endorsed the name change in official documents and that most news outlets have accepted the new name.
Critics, including attorney Floyd Abrams and the Inter American Press Association, have condemned the White House’s actions as censorship and a violation of press freedom protected by the U.S. Constitution. The move has sparked concerns about the government’s attempts to control the media’s reporting.
As José Roberto Dutriz expressed concern about the recent measure that restricts press coverage and warns against the Associated Press (AP), he emphasized the troubling intention behind such actions. Dutriz, the CEO and general director of La Prensa Gráfica in El Salvador, highlighted the potential imposition of official criteria on public interest information, coupled with the threat of reprisals for non-compliance. It is worth noting that many writers adhere to the AP style guidelines.
In the realm of digital mapping, users of the Google Maps app in the United States will now observe the body of water known as the Gulf of America, as confirmed by the company. Meanwhile, Mexican users will continue to see it labeled as the “Gulf of Mexico.” Globally, Google has chosen to identify the area as “Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America).”
The AP’s decisions hold significant influence as numerous news outlets and organizations rely on it as a standard for maintaining consistency in references. Several prominent media entities have established their own guidelines in response to this naming controversy.
For instance, The New York Times announced its intent to persist in using “Gulf of Mexico” while acknowledging President Trump’s renaming initiative in relevant stories. The Washington Post similarly indicated a preference for “Gulf of Mexico,” citing potential confusion among international readers with the alternative “Gulf of America.”
In contrast, Fox News declared its decision to adopt “Gulf of America” in all references starting Sunday. Notably, President Trump’s directive to revert the name of the tallest mountain in the United States back to Mount McKinley, following an interim change by President Obama to Denali, has also garnered attention. The AP confirmed its alignment with Trump’s renaming authority in areas within the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States.
David Bauder, an AP media correspondent, covers these developments extensively. For more updates, you can follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.
