The White House banned an Associated Press reporter from a media event on Thursday after the news agency refused to obey United States President Donald Trump’s command to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.”
Following Trump’s January executive order, The Gulf of Mexico became the Gulf of America, and Alaska’s Mt. McKinley, which had been renamed Denali, got its original name back. The Associated Press opted to stick with the traditional name for the international body of water but switched its style for the peak, arguing that the latter is under U.S. jurisdiction. Of course, this didn’t sit well with the ruling class, who insisted their commands, regardless of how insignificant, be followed.
According to a report by RT, the reporter was denied entry to a news conference where Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi answered questions, AP confirmed on Friday. The agency’s Executive Editor, Julie Pace, described the barring as a “deeply troubling escalation,” noting that it was the third day AP reporters had been barred from covering the president.
“The Associated Press continues to ignore the lawful geographic name change of the Gulf of America. This decision is not just divisive, but it also exposes the Associated Press’ commitment to misinformation,” The White House deputy chief of staff, Taylor Budowich, said on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday. “AP journalists and photographers will retain their credentials to the White House complex,” he added.
“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 [of the US constitution that stipulates the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press],” stated AP’s Pace.
To be fair, it’s always been the Gulf of Mexico, at least since 16th-century Spanish map makers declared it as such. This writer will have a difficult time calling it the Gulf of America simply because it has never been such, and in my humble opinion, it is pedantic and ridiculous to think renaming something will “make America great again.”
But I want to know what you think! If you disagree with me, I want to know why! Let’s discuss it in the comments.
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