Trevor Ng
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked body of water on the southeastern periphery of the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States and on the southwest and south by Mexico. In January 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. This decision has sparked controversy, with some digital maps quickly making the change for American users while facing backlash from the Mexican government, which threatened to sue Google for applying the change to Mexican territories.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of renaming | February 2025 |
| Former name | Gulf of Mexico |
| New name | Gulf of America |
| Renaming authority | President Donald Trump |
| Reason for renaming | "The area formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico has long been an integral asset to our once burgeoning Nation and has remained an indelible part of America." |
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What You'll Learn
The Gulf of Mexico renamed
The Gulf of Mexico, a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, has been renamed the "Gulf of America" by the United States government. This executive order was issued by former President Donald Trump in January 2025, shortly after he took office. The directive mandates that all federal agencies, including the military, refer to the body of water as the "Gulf of America".
The Gulf of Mexico is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on its northeast, north, and northwest by the US states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, and on its southwest and south by Mexican states, with Cuba to its southeast. The US coastline along the Gulf spans approximately 1,700 miles, while the Mexican coastline covers about 1,400 miles. The Gulf is a significant contributor to the economies of both countries, with vibrant fisheries and a thriving maritime industry.
The name change has sparked controversy, particularly in Mexico, which borders the Gulf. Mexico has asserted that the US does not have the legal right to alter the name of a body of water shared by multiple nations. The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea supports this claim, stipulating that a country's territory extends only 12 nautical miles from its coast. Google, facing pressure from the Mexican government, has implemented the name change for US users of its maps, while Mexican users continue to see "Gulf of Mexico". This discrepancy in naming has fuelled concerns about the potential impact on US-Mexico relations.
The renaming of the Gulf is part of a broader initiative by the US government, "Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness". This initiative includes reinstating the name "Mount McKinley," reverting to the name Denali adopted by the Obama administration in 2015. The motivation behind these changes is to honour the contributions of visionary and patriotic Americans and promote America's extraordinary heritage.
The Gulf of Mexico has been a crucial artery for trade and global commerce and has played a significant role in shaping America's history and economy. The name change reflects a desire to recognise this importance and emphasise the Gulf's integral connection to the nation.
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Trump's executive order
On January 20, 2025, the day of his second inauguration, Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14172, titled "Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness". This order directed US federal agencies to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" and Denali, the highest mountain in North America, as "Mount McKinley".
The order was based on the national interest in promoting the nation's extraordinary heritage and ensuring future generations of American citizens celebrate the legacy of American heroes. It also stated that the naming of national treasures should honour the contributions of visionary and patriotic Americans.
The executive order does not apply to US state governments and the private sector, but several major online map platforms, US-based media outlets, and Republican-led state governments have voluntarily adopted the new name. Foreign governments continue to refer to the body of water as the "Gulf of Mexico", and according to polling, the majority of Americans oppose the new name.
The Gulf of Mexico has been known by that name for over four centuries, and its original name is believed to be derived from the Native American city of "Mexico". In 2012, a member of the Mississippi Legislature proposed a bill to rename portions of the gulf that touch that state's beaches the "Gulf of America", but the bill did not pass.
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White House map
In February 2025, the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, stated that it was a "'fact' that the Gulf of Mexico had been renamed the "Gulf of America". This statement was made in reference to an image from Google Maps, viewed from a browser in New York, which showed the altered name. This body of water, stretching from Florida to Texas and into Mexico, has been known as the Gulf of Mexico for over four centuries. However, prior to his inauguration, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to change its name for official US purposes. While this renaming may be enforced within the country, it does not dictate the name's usage by the rest of the world.
The White House, located in Washington, D.C., has a rich history and has undergone various renovations and expansions over the years. The West Wing, for instance, was not constructed until the early 1900s during Theodore Roosevelt's presidency. The Oval Office, which is often used to impress visitors, was built during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency and is located in the West Wing. The White House also has a bunker, known as the Presidential Emergency Response Center, located beneath the East Wing. This bunker was utilised by Dick Cheney and other high-level officers during the September 11 terrorist attacks. Additionally, there are tunnels connecting the White House to nearby buildings, including one to the treasury building that was used by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War and by the first family on September 11.
The White House has also been the subject of various plans and proposals. One notable example is the proposal for an underground train system to quickly transport the President from the White House to extraction points, such as Joint Base Andrews. While the existence of such a train system remains speculative, it highlights the importance of ensuring the President's safety and ability to respond to emergencies.
A search for a "White House map" yields results related to the White House's floor plan and the surrounding area. The White House's address is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500, and it is located between 15th and 17th Streets and Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues. The White House Complex includes not only the Executive Residence but also the East and West Wings, the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, and various gardens and lawns. The White House Visitor Pavilion, located on the southeast side of the grounds, is where tours of the White House begin.
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Previous renaming attempts
America has had several renaming attempts in the past, with varying levels of success. Here are some notable examples:
Columbia
There was an early attempt to name the country Columbia, after Christopher Columbus. This attempt failed, but the name was used for other geographical features, such as the District of Columbia and the unofficial national anthem, "Hail Columbia".
America
The name "America" itself has been the subject of debate. Some believe it should be named after Amerigo Vespucci, a slave trader and explorer who claimed to have discovered the continent. Others argue that it should be named "Vespucci" or even "Mercia", a region in Anglo-Saxon England.
Mount Denali
Previously known as Mount McKinley, after President William McKinley, the mountain was renamed Denali by President Barack Obama's administration in 2015. This move was seen as an affront to President McKinley's legacy, and the name was later restored by President Trump in 2025.
Gulf of Mexico
In 2025, President Trump signed an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America". This decision faced strong opposition, particularly from Latin Americans who felt it reinforced the idea that the US is the center of the Western Hemisphere. While some US institutions adopted the new name, the rename was not recognised internationally, and Mexico had a strong opinion against it as a neighbouring country.
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International Hydrographic Organization
The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) is an intergovernmental organisation representing hydrography. It was established in June 1921 as the International Hydrographic Bureau (IHB) with 18 nations as members. The IHO's principal aim is to ensure that all the world's seas, oceans, and navigable waters are properly surveyed and charted. This includes sea level, topography of the seabed, bathymetry, currents, etc. The IHO sets international standards and coordinates the activities of national hydrographic offices. It has observer status at the United Nations and is the recognised authority on hydrographic surveying and nautical charting.
The IHO's technical and specialist expertise comes from its member states' personnel, often assisted by invited industry experts. A Council, comprising a subset of all the IHO member states, meets annually and oversees the work of the IHO. The IHO works to develop and standardise its member states' hydrographic survey capabilities, and its standards are used in conventions and similar instruments.
The IHO also contributes to the development of the Blue Economy, which includes marine renewable energy projects and industries such as fishing and aquaculture. It has published "Limits of Oceans and Seas," which serves as guidelines on the limits of oceans and seas for the benefit of national hydrographic offices in compiling nautical charts. The IHO's other publications include the Hydrographic Survey Specifications and Deliverables document, which contains the technical specifications for hydrographic survey data.
The IHO has 98-102 member states across five continents and is headquartered in Monaco.
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Frequently asked questions
The Gulf of America is the new name for the Gulf of Mexico, as per an executive order by President Donald Trump.
President Trump's administration stated that the Gulf had "long been an integral asset to our once burgeoning nation and has remained an indelible part of America."
While President Trump can change the name for official U.S. purposes, he cannot dictate what the rest of the world calls it. The International Hydrographic Organization works to ensure that all the world's seas, oceans, and navigable waters are surveyed, charted uniformly, and named.
Yes, in 2015, then-President Barack Obama approved an order to rename Mount McKinley, the highest peak in North America, to Denali.
