This week, Donald Trump's presidential administration reportedly barred the Associated Press (A.P.) from the Oval Office for not adopting his preferred geographical nomenclature. Unfortunately, the childish squabble could carry major First Amendment implications.
Among dozens of executive actions issued on his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order declaring that the Gulf of Mexico would henceforth be known as the Gulf of America.
Not everybody adopted the change right away. According to its style guide, in an entry published three days into Trump's term, the Associated Press said it would "refer to [the Gulf of Mexico] 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."
