The White House Correspondents’ Association has strongly condemned the White House’s decision to bar an Associated Press reporter from an event with President Donald Trump due to the news agency’s refusal to change its reference of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. The association president, Eugene Daniels, stated that the administration should not dictate how news organizations report the news or penalize journalists for editorial decisions.
AP Executive Editor Julie Pace expressed concern over the administration’s actions, citing a violation of the First Amendment guaranteeing freedom of the press. The AP has maintained its position to refer to the body of water as the Gulf of Mexico, a name that has been in use for over 400 years.
The White House and Mexico’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the situation. Mexico also has a coastline bordering the area, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum humorously suggested renaming North America, including the US, to “Mexican America” in response to Trump’s executive order.
While most news organizations, including Reuters, still refer to it as the Gulf of Mexico, Reuters will include information about Trump’s order when relevant. The dispute highlights tensions between the Trump administration and the press over editorial independence and freedom of expression in reporting.
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