A significant announcement has stirred controversy as the Gulf of Mexico has been officially renamed, at least within the United States. The federal Board on Geographic Names has carried out the formal change to the Gulf of America, following one of President Donald Trump’s initial executive orders. It is important to note that this alteration of the name does not impact how other countries refer to the body of water. Mexico’s President has assured that his nation will not acknowledge the change and has urged others to do the same.
President Trump made a dramatic gesture on Sunday by flying over the Gulf in Air Force One while attending the Super Bowl, declaring the day as the inaugural “Gulf of America Day.” Accompanying the President, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum shared an official USGS map image on social media, displaying the new designation.
While some government agencies swiftly adopted the new name following Trump’s January 20 directive, the change is now officially recognized across all federal institutions after being updated in the centralized Geographic Names Information System. Google had previously announced its intention to adjust its maps in alignment with the GNIS update. Notably, Apple declined to comment on whether they would comply with the name change.
In a lighthearted response, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo quipped that she would begin referring to the United States as “Mexican America” in retaliation. International convention dictates using the preferred place name of the country to which a particular geographic feature belongs. However, the Gulf of America touches the territories of Mexico, the United States, Cuba, and several other island nations.
Differences in naming are not uncommon, as evidenced by a chain of islands off the coast of South America. Known as the Falkland Islands to the British, Argentina, which also claims sovereignty over them, refers to them as the Islas Malvinas. This dispute escalated in 1982 when Argentina invaded the islands, leading to a two-month conflict ultimately won by the British.
Another notable change brought about by the decree is the restoration of the name Mount McKinley as the tallest mountain in North America according to the federal government. While Alaskan officials have long recognized the mountain as Denali, federal authorities did not adopt this name until President Barack Obama’s decision in 2015.
Trump criticized Obama’s actions, considering the renaming of Denali as a slight to President McKinley’s legacy, achievements, and sacrifices. In particular, Trump highlighted McKinley’s utilization of tariffs, which resonated with his own policy preferences, and his role in expanding territorial acquisitions. As a Republican, McKinley oversaw the addition of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, and Hawaii to the United States in various capacities.
Trump, known for his unconventional proposals, has expressed desires to annex Greenland, suggested the inclusion of Canada as the 51st state, and even threatened to invade Panama to reclaim the Panama Canal. Despite the mountain’s renaming, the national park
