US President Donald Trump limited the access of reporters from Associated Press to the White House, after the news agency refused to rename 'Gulf of Mexico' to 'Gulf of America'. AP, in a statement earlier, said it would continue using 'Gulf of Mexico' as it adheres to "factual, nonpartisan journalism".
Google Maps has started using 'Gulf of America' for users in the US, saying it had a 'longstanding practice' of following the US government’s lead on such matters. Apple Maps has also changed the nomenclature to Gulf of 'America' on some browsers. Accordingly, as per Google Maps, the users in Mexico will see Gulf of Mexico, and maps will display both names for those logging in from other countries.
It further reads, "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. This afternoon AP’s reporter was blocked from attending an executive order signing."
"It is alarming that the Trump administration would punish AP for its independent journalism. 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 statement concluded.
Earlier, President Trump decreed that the international body of water — which borders Mexico, the United States and other nations — be called the Gulf of America. However, the AP said it would continue to use Gulf of Mexico, while also noting Trump’s decision, to ensure that names of geographical features are recognizable around the world.
The AP said, "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 added, "The Gulf of Mexico has carried that name for more than 400 years. The Associated Press will refer to it by its original name while acknowledging the new name Trump has chosen. As a global news agency that disseminates news around the world, the AP must ensure that place names and geography are easily recognizable to all audiences."
The AP stated that they regularly reviews its style guidance regarding name changes, in part to ensure its guidance reflects common usage. "We’ll continue to apply that approach to this guidance and make updates as needed", the AP added.
According to the news agency, there are other examples where they refers to a geographical place by more than one name. "For example, the Gulf of California is sometimes referred to as the Sea of Cortez. The US government has designated that body of water as the Gulf of California, while Mexico recognizes it as the Sea of Cortez", they stated.