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Gulf Of Mexico To Be Renamed As “Gulf of America” In Executive Order By Trump
On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” on all federal maps and documents.
Trump, during his January press conference at Mar-a-Lago, said that the Gulf of Mexico is a critical economic resource for the United States, supplying about 40% of the nation’s seafood and hosting half of its petroleum refining and natural gas processing capacity.
“The Gulf of America-what a beautiful name. It’s appropriate,” Trump said during his announcement while criticising Mexico for “allowing millions of people to pour into our country.”
The executive order directs the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to update federal maps with the new name. Trump has nominated former North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum for the position.
The change is expected to take up to 30 days to appear in federal databases, but it may not immediately affect digital navigation platforms like Google Maps or Waze.
The U.S. Board on Geographic Names, which oversees domestic geographic names, typically discourages name changes unless there is a compelling reason.
However, the order may bypass usual protocols as it falls under executive authority.
The decision of name change has not been well-received outside the United States. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum dismissed the move, and sarcastically said that the United States should instead be renamed “Mexican America.”
She referenced historical maps showing large swathes of U.S. territory that once belonged to Mexico, including California, Arizona, and Texas.
Sheinbaum reiterated that the Gulf of Mexico remains internationally recognised under its current name, as established by the United States and other international bodies.
The Gulf of Mexico, one of the world’s largest water bodies, has been known by this name since the 1600s. It spans over 615,000 square miles, with more than half of its coastline bordering Mexico.
Throughout history, it has also been referred to by names such as “Golfo de Nueva España” (Gulf of New Spain) and “Mar Di Florida” (Florida Sea) during European colonisation.
Trump’s decision does not force other countries to adopt the name “Gulf of America.” International naming disputes, like the South China Sea and the Sea of Japan, show that different nations often use their preferred terms for shared landmarks.
Google Earth has a policy to display names used by countries bordering a body of water. If there is no agreement, both names may appear depending on the region. Currently, the Gulf of Mexico remains the name on digital platforms.
Experts are concerned about the confusion caused by changing place names. Consistency in navigation is essential for safety, and changing names without global agreement could lead to complications.
Critics also say that renaming places can erase historical and cultural identities, a practice tied to colonialism in the past.
Despite the controversy, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has already used the term “Gulf of America” in a recent state order regarding winter weather.
References: ABC News, Forbes
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