The U.S. government has officially changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, as previously announced by former President Donald Trump. The change was formalized through an executive order recently signed and announced by the Department of the Interior, the agency responsible for managing U.S. lands and minerals.
A Name Change to Honor “American Greatness”
In a statement, the Department of the Interior explained that this adjustment in geographical nomenclature is intended to honor the “legacy of American greatness.” The order also reinstates the name Mount McKinley for the highest peak in North America, which will now bear the name of the 25th U.S. president.
The change to Gulf of America will be effective immediately for federal use, with efforts underway to update the official nomenclature in the Geographic Names Information System. This is the first step in a series of efforts to restore and modify geographic names in the U.S.
United Kingdom Will Not Recognize the Name Change
However, the name change has not been universally accepted. The United Kingdom has announced it will not recognize the new name for the Gulf of Mexico. According to The Telegraph, the British government will continue using the traditional “Gulf of Mexico” unless the new name gains widespread usage in English.
Claudia Sheinbaum’s Response
In Mexico, President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed the change, stating that the order only applies to U.S. jurisdiction over its continental shelf, meaning it does not affect the entire Gulf of Mexico. She emphasized the importance of keeping things “in their proper context.”
This name change, which has sparked international controversy, marks a new phase in geographical decisions pushed by the Trump administration, though its global acceptance could be a lengthy process.
