AP Excoriates The White House that blocks journalists as ‘alarming precedent’ | Trump -Administration

The performing editor of the Associated Press sent a letter to the White House on Wednesday that criticized his decision to block two of his journalists from attending press events on Tuesday, after the outlets refused to refer to the Mexico Golf as “America Golfen”.

“I write on behalf of the Associated Press, an independent global news organization that reaches billions of people every day to object to the strongest possible conditions against the actions taken by the Trump administration against AP yesterday,” Julie Pace , AP’s Executive Editor wrote in letter Addressed to Susie Wiles, The White House staff manager.

“The problem here is freedom of speech – a fundamental pillar of American democracy and a value of the greatest importance to all Americans, regardless of political persuasion, occupation or industry.”

Pace said the White House excluded AP journalists from the White House from participating in two press events with Donald Trump, “after a apparent complaint about ApS editorial decisions regarding the Mexico Golf, which President Trump renamed the Gulf of America”.

Associated Press said In a January -Thalid guide, which they would continue to refer to the water mass bordering on both the US and Mexico “by its original name, while recognizing the new name Trump has chosen”.

The agency stated that Trump’s order to change the name had only authority in the United States and that other countries, including Mexico, did not have to recognize the name change.

“Mexico golf has been wearing this name for more than 400 years,” wrote AP, adding that “as a global news agency spreading news around the world, AP must ensure that place names and geography can be easily recognized for all audiences”.

Pace said Karoline Leavitt, the press secretary, during a meeting on Tuesday, stated an AP reporter that AP’s access to the “Oval office would be limited if AP did not immediately adjust its editorial standards with President Trump’s executive order”.

When AP did not take up the requirements, Pace said, the staff of the White House blocked an AP reporter from attending an executive order signing in the oval office, and later, another AP reporter from attending a press event in it Diplomatic reception room.

“The actions taken by the White House were clearly intended to punish the AP for the content of its speech,” Pace wrote. “It is among the most basic principles of the first change that the government cannot be reciprocated against the public or the press for what they are saying.”

She added: “This is point of view based on a news organization’s editorial choice and a clear violation of the first amendment.”

Pace said that from Wednesday it was not clear whether the White House intended to impose these access restrictions against AP journalists on an ongoing basis and called on the administration to “end this practice”.

The “fundamental role of the press is to serve as the public’s eyes and ears,” she said, adding that “when journalists are blocked to do their job, it is the American public suffering”.

It also sets a “alarming precedent,” she said, who has the potential to influence any news output and “in turn” limit the right of the public to know what is happening within their government. “

AP, she wrote, is “prepared to vigorously defend its constitutional rights and protest the violation of the public’s right to independent news coverage of their government and elected officials.”

On Wednesday, Leavitt was asked which white house official made the decision to prevent the AP journalists from the events.

Leavitt said that “it is a privilege to cover this White House” and “No one has the right to go into the oval office and ask the president of the United States’ questions. It is an invitation given.”

“We reserve the right to decide who is coming to the oval office,” Leavitt told the press briefing room.

“If we feel there are lies pushed by business in this room, we will keep these lies in charge, and it is a fact that the water mass off the coast of Louisiana is called the Gulf and I am not sure why news sites are not Want to call it, but that’s what it is. “

“It is very important for this administration that we get it right,” she added.

The Guardian has contacted the White House for further comment.