The dispute over the Gulf of Mexico: AP news agency on the brink of extinction!

The dispute over the Gulf of Mexico: AP news agency on the brink of extinction!

The renowned news agency Associated Press (AP) is in the crossfire after its refusal to call the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, as US President Donald Trump ordered by decree. This resulted in AP being permanently denied access to the Oval Office and Air Force One. White House Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Taylor Budowich said on the social network X that the news agency was ignoring “the legitimate geographic name change.” He stressed that while AP has the right to report freely, it cannot enjoy the privilege of unhindered access to restricted areas of government.

On Wednesday, it was officially announced that AP reporters will continue to be banned from presidential events. This comes in response to the name dispute, and AP Editor-in-Chief Julie Pace called the Trump administration's actions an "act of retaliation." The White House downplayed the significance of the name dispute, claiming that it was "ignoring facts" while also seeking to pressure other intelligence agencies to adopt Trump's term. Leavitt, White House press secretary, said media outlets have spread lies by retaining the traditional name that has been used for over 400 years. The AP, on the other hand, defends its decision to name the Gulf of Mexico as such, saying it conforms to international standards for geographical names as outlined in its style manual Welt.de reported.

The naming dispute has not only affected the AP, but also represents an alarming example of tensions between the government and the press. While some media outlets, such as Fox News, supported Trump's naming, others, including the New York Times and Washington Post, maintained the traditional name. Julie Pace made it clear that it is a fundamental principle of the U.S. Constitution that the government may not retaliate against members of the press for what they report. This is seen as a fundamental threat to press freedom and could have long-term effects on media coverage of the Trump administration, he said Krone.at.