The Associated Press is advising its reporters and others who follow AP style to continue referring to Lake Ontario by its original name, despite President Donald Trump’s order to rename it Lake America last month as the administration’s trade war with Canada escalated.
The AP’s guidance says Trump’s executive order affects only how the U.S. government refers to the lake, and Canada and other countries are not required to recognize the name change.
“The Associated Press will refer to Lake Ontario by its original name, including the name Trump has chosen when relevant,” AP spokesman Patrick Maks said in a statement. “As a global news agency that disseminates news around the world, the AP must ensure that place names and geography are recognizable to broad audiences.”
Last year, the AP similarly defended its decision to continue using the Gulf of Mexico instead of the Gulf of America, after Trump issued an executive order to rename that body of water. The White House in turn banned AP reporters from covering its events, leading to a prolonged legal battle over the wire service’s First Amendment rights.
Catch up quickly every weekday morning with a rundown of the 7 most important and interesting stories. Sign up for The 7 newsletter.
The post Associated Press will refer to Lake Ontario by its original name, despite order appeared first on Washington Post.
