Trump Administration Renames Gulf of Mexico to 'Gulf of America'

Mexico (The Uttam Hindu): The Donald Trump administration has officially renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America." In addition to this, Mount Denali, located in Alaska and standing at 20,000 feet above sea level, has also been renamed Mount McKinley. Trump had initially announced these name changes during his election campaign and reiterated them in his inaugural address.

Renaming the Gulf of Mexico falls under the authority of the U.S. administration. On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order to officially change the name of the 617,800-square-mile Gulf of Mexico and Alaska’s iconic mountain from Denali to Mount McKinley. The Obama administration had previously restored the mountain's name to Denali in 2015.

Florida Already Embraced 'Gulf of America'

Even before the official renaming, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had begun using the term "Gulf of America." During a winter weather warning, DeSantis referred to the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America," mentioning a low-pressure system moving across the region and heading toward Florida.

Name Change Is a Domestic Matter

The Trump administration clarified that renaming the Gulf of Mexico will not impact any other country, and there is no requirement for other nations to adopt the new name. Essentially, calling the Gulf the "Gulf of America" is a matter of choice for the U.S. administration and its citizens.

The process to update the name in official U.S. documents will be completed within the next 30 days. Notably, there are no formal international protocols for naming sea regions. Historically, the name "Gulf of Mexico" first appeared on a map in the 16th century, attributed to a Spanish cartographer, long before the U.S. declared independence in 1776.

Mexico’s Reaction and Retort

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded strongly to the renaming decision, stating at a press conference, "For us and the entire world, it will remain the Gulf of Mexico." She added a sharp retort to Trump, suggesting that the U.S. itself could be renamed, proposing "America Mexicana" or "Mexicana America" instead.