The denial, she stated, was due to the AP's insistence on referring to the body of water off the coast of Louisiana as the Gulf of Mexico, a term that the Trump administration has officially replaced with the "Gulf of America."
President Donald Trump, on his first day in office, had decreed the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" in all official government references. This move was subsequently adopted by tech giants Apple and Google. However, the AP, citing the need for its references to be universally recognizable, refused to adopt the change, although it acknowledged Trump's directive.
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The AP, a longstanding powerhouse in journalism, is known for its influential stylebook, which has increasingly advocated for leftist ideals in recent years. Julie Pace, a spokeswoman for the AP, expressed her concern over the situation, stating, "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.”
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According to WND, Leavitt countered this argument by emphasizing the privilege of covering the White House and the administration's right to decide who is granted access. She stated, “First of all, let me just set the record straight. It is a privilege to cover this White House. It is a privilege to be the White House press secretary. Nobody has the ‘right’ to go into the Oval Office and ask the president of the United States questions. That is an invitation that is given.”
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Leavitt further explained the administration's stance on the matter, saying, “I was very upfront in my briefing on day one that if we feel there are lies being pushed by outlets in this room, we are going to hold those lies accountable. It is a fact that the body of water off the coast of Louisiana is called the Gulf of America. And I’m not sure why news outlets don’t want to call it that, but that is what it is."
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She also pointed out that the Secretary of Interior, Apple, Google, and most other outlets have recognized the body of water as the Gulf of America, a fact that is crucial to the Trump administration's Make America Great Again plan.
The AP reported that two of its reporters were denied access to different events on Tuesday. Tim Richardson, of PEN America, criticized the decision, calling it “an affront to the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which bars the government from impeding the freedom of the press.”
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The White House Correspondents Association, a private organization that dictates seating arrangements at White House press events, also expressed its disapproval. However, the question of whether this denial of access constitutes a First Amendment issue remains debatable, as the privilege of access to the White House is granted to only a few of the thousands of news organizations nationwide.
While Trump's renaming of the gulf does not dictate how other nations may label it, it is a clear reflection of his commitment to promoting America's presence and influence globally.
