New York (USA), February 13 (LaPresse/AP) – The White House stated on Wednesday that news outlets refusing to use the new name chosen by President Donald Trump for the Gulf of Mexico were "spreading lies" and insisted that it would continue to bar Associated Press journalists from attending presidential events.
This marks the second consecutive day that AP journalists have been denied entry to the White House, as the same incident occurred the day before.
Trump has decreed that the international body of water, which borders Mexico, the United States, and other nations, should be called the Gulf of America.
In its influential Stylebook, the AP stated that it would continue to use the term "Gulf of Mexico," while acknowledging Trump's decision, in order to ensure that the names of geographical features remain globally recognizable.
The White House's attempt to regulate the language used by independent media, along with the punitive measures associated with it, marks a significant escalation in Trump’s often tense relationship with news organizations.
During a routine briefing on Wednesday, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt stated, "It is a fact that the body of water off the coast of Louisiana is called the Gulf of America, and I don’t understand why news outlets refuse to call it that."
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