AP says it will use Trump’s name change for Denali but not Gulf of Mexico

The Associated Press said in updated guidance that it will use President Trump’s name change for Denali but not the Gulf of Mexico.

In an announcement Thursday, Amanda Barrett, the AP’s vice president of standards and inclusion, said the outlet will adhere to some of the new name changes, but not all.

Trump signed an executive order Monday, the first day of his second term, for the United States to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.” He also moved to rename the Alaskan mountain Denali to Mount McKinley.

In their release, the AP said Trump’s order applies to the United States but not Mexico or other international bodies.

"The Gulf of Mexico has carried that name for more than 400 years,” the AP said. “The Associated Press will refer to it by its original name while acknowledging the new name Trump has chosen.”

The AP noted it is a global news agency that distributes news internationally and it must ensure international names and geography are easily recognizable by all audiences.

The agency said in some cases it refers to places by more than one name. For example, the U.S. calls the body of water east of Baja California the Gulf of California, but Mexico calls it the Sea of Cortez.

In the case of the Alaskan mountain, the AP said it would use the official name change initiated by Trump on Monday.

Former President Obama changed the name of the country’s highest mountain to reflect the name used by Native Americans, Denali. It was previously named after former President McKinley.

“The area lies solely in the United States and as president, Trump has the authority to change federal geographical names within the country,” the AP said.

The Associated Press Stylebook, a widely recognized style guide for reporters internationally, will be updated to reflect the two new changes.

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