White House bars Associated Press for 3rd consecutive day over naming dispute: Report

ISTANBUL

The White House has barred the Associated Press (AP) from official events for the third straight day over the news organization’s refusal to adopt the term "Gulf of America" instead of "Gulf of Mexico," as mandated by a recent executive order from US President Donald Trump.

On Thursday, AP journalists were blocked from attending two Oval Office events, including the swearing-in ceremony of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and a joint news conference between Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a spokesperson for the news organization confirmed to The Washington Post.

Later in the day, AP Executive Editor Julie Pace called it "a deeply troubling escalation of the administration’s continued efforts to punish The Associated Press for its editorial decisions," in a statement.

"This is now the third day AP reporters have been barred from covering the president ... an incredible disservice to the billions who rely on The Associated Press for nonpartisan news."

During a briefing Wednesday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the decision, saying the administration "(reserves) the right to decide who gets to go into the Oval Office."

"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," Leavitt told reporters. She pointed to actions taken by Google and Apple to rename their maps apps in line with the president's directions for US users.

AP has appealed to Chief of Staff Susie Wiles to reverse the ban but has yet to receive a response. Press freedom advocates condemned the move as a violation of First Amendment principles.

CNN anchor Jake Tapper warned Wednesday of "a chilling effect" on the press: "It’s not really about whatever the AP wants to call the gulf. It’s about whether a president should punish reporters for not doing what he wants."

The New York Times expressed solidarity with AP: "We stand by the Associated Press in objecting to governmental retribution for editorial decisions."

Despite the restrictions, AP photographers have continued to cover White House events. Journalism experts suggest the situation remains a test of resolve between the administration and one of the world's largest news organizations.

"It’s hard to know which of them will blink first," said Mark Feldstein, a journalism professor at the University of Maryland, according to The Post. "But I’m glad AP is holding firm."

Trump, after taking office on Jan. 20, ordered the renaming of the waters bordering the southern US, Mexico, and Cuba.

The US Geographic Names Information System officially updated the name on Sunday.