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Gulf of Mexico naming controversy

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For the Russian waters formerly known as the Gulf of America, see Nakhodka Bay.
Aerial view of the gulf
Satellite view of the gulf

The name of the Gulf of Mexico became a subject of dispute in the United States starting in 2025.

The gulf has been known as the Gulf of Mexico since the 1550s,[1] having derived its name from Mexica, the Nahuatl term for the Aztecs.[2] The name soon became internationally recognized and in use by bodies such as the International Hydrographic Organization.[3]

On January 7, 2025, U.S. president-elect Donald Trump announced that he intended to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America".[4] On January 20, 2025, the day of his inauguration, President Trump signed Executive Order 14172, directing U.S. federal agencies to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America". Neither U.S. state governments nor the private sector are bound by the order. As of February 2025, polling shows the majority of Americans oppose a change.[5][6][7]

Background

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Main article: Gulf of Mexico § Name
Detail of the Universalis Cosmographia (1507) by Martin Waldseemüller, showing the name "America", specifically referring to what is now known as South America. Later, in 1538, Gerardus Mercator expanded the use of the term America to designate the entire continent in his maps.[8]

Amerigo Vespucci, along with other explorers, is credited with the first European exploration of the Gulf of Mexico and the Yucatán Channel, between 1497 and 1498. He navigated the Straits of Florida, and continued northward up to Chesapeake Bay before returning to Spain. It has been disputed, however, that the voyage actually took place.[9][10]

For centuries, the Gulf of Mexico has been recognized by that name—derived from the term Mexica (the Nahuatl name for the Aztecs[11]). It began to be used on early European maps in 1550,[1][12][13] and the name soon became established in international cartography and legal usage by bodies such as the International Hydrographic Organization.[14][3]

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) received a proposal to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in 2006, and the Board on Geographic Names (BGN) unanimously decided not to approve it.[15][16] Renaming the waters was the humorous premise of a 2010 piece by American comedian Stephen Colbert, who proposed creation of a "Gulf of America fund" to pay for the cleanup necessary following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, stating: "I don't think we can call it the Gulf of Mexico anymore. We broke it, we bought it."[17]

Steve Holland, a Democratic state representative from Mississippi, jokingly introduced a 2012 bill proposing the name change. In a radio interview at the time, he explained that the Mississippi GOP appeared dedicated to pushing anything Mexican out of the state, so renaming the Gulf would help with that cause. "This new majority goes against a lot of the tenets of New Testament Christianity that I've based 29 years of legislation on," Holland told NPR. "They want to kick immigrants out of the state, they want to drug-test Medicaid people, they want to get rid of anything that's not 'America'. So I just thought it would be in keeping to introduce a bill to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. It fits right in with what the majority thinking apparently is now."[18][19][20]

The bill was introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives on January 9, 2025.[21] In a January 15-16 poll of US registered voters, 72% opposed the renaming while 28% supported it.[22] On May 8, the House narrowly approved the bill, but it is uncertain whether the Senate will take action.[23]

On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14172 directing the interior secretary to adopt the name Gulf of America, specifying an area of the U.S. continental shelf "extending to the seaward boundary with Mexico and Cuba."[24][25][26] The U.S. Interior Department confirmed that US federal agencies would use the name Gulf of America from January 24.[27] The executive order does not compel the use of the new name by non-federal agencies, private companies, or foreign entities.[28] Trump declared February 9, 2025, to be "Gulf of America Day".[29]

Reactions to declaration

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Main article: Executive Order 14172 § Reactions

In the United States

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Reactions among U.S. political figures and agencies have been mixed. Proponents of the renaming argue that it reinforces an "America First" agenda and reflects a renewed emphasis on national heritage.[30][31][32] Several state officials from Gulf Coast states have at times supported the change in official documents.[33][34]

A February 2025 poll by Marquette University found that among 1,018 respondents nationwide, 71% opposed the Gulf of America renaming and 29% supported the name change.[35][36] In a February 2025 poll of 871 registered voters in Florida who were active by the University of North Florida found that 58% of overall respondents opposed renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, 31% supported it, 10% said they were not sure and 1% refused to answer the question.[37][38]

Since February 10, 2025, Google Maps and Google Earth have varied the name displayed for the Gulf based on device location settings.[39][40][41] Apple Maps and Bing Maps have also changed their label for the Gulf.[42][43] MapQuest refused to alter the name, joking that they had lost the ability to update their information when owned by AOL in the 2000s. They also said that they follow the naming conventions from the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).[44] Since February 18, 2025, the GNIS has shown the name of the gulf as "Gulf of America".[45]

Various bodies and media outlets reacted to the federal action, with most saying that common usage for the gulf would prevail.[46][47] Among prominent media outlets, Axios and Fox News adopted the change, with USA Today using both names in tandem.[48][49] On February 11, the White House chose to not invite an Associated Press (AP) reporter to an event in the Oval Office over the AP's decision to continue using "Gulf of Mexico," which the AP executive editor Julie Pace condemned as a violation of its First Amendment rights.[50]

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the decision of the White House, saying:

If we feel there are lies being pushed by outlets in this room, we are going to hold those lies accountable ... And it is a fact that the body of water off the coast of Louisiana is called the Gulf of America, and I'm not sure why news outlets don't want to call it that but that is what it is.[51]

On February 14, the White House deputy chief of staff, Taylor Budowich, announced that Associated Press journalists were banned indefinitely from the Oval Office and Air Force One due to their decision to continue using "Gulf of Mexico", with Budowich accusing the Associated Press of "commitment to misinformation" and "irresponsible and dishonest reporting".[52][53] The White House Correspondents Association responded that the White House has "publicly admitted they are restricting access to events to punish a news outlet for not advancing the government's preferred language", and argued that this violated President Trump's "executive order on freedom of speech and ending federal censorship".[52] On February 18, Trump said that the Associated Press would continue to be barred "until such time as they agree that it's the Gulf of America".[54] On April 8, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction that would take effect on April 13 requiring the White House to reinstate Associated Press access.[55]

International response

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Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum sarcastically countered President Trump by proposing to rename North America:

Obviously the Gulf of Mexico is recognized by the United Nations... but why don't we call [North America] "Mexican America"? We're going to call it Mexican America....It sounds pretty, no? Isn't it true?[56][57]

After Google Maps revised the Gulf's display name, Sheinbaum sued Google, reiterating that United States sovereignty is limited to 12 nautical miles from the coast.[58][59]

The United Kingdom declined to recognize any different name for the Gulf of Mexico, based on common usage across the English-speaking world.[47]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Galtsoff, Paul Simon (1954). "Historical sketch of the explorations in the Gulf of Mexico" (PDF). Fishery Bulletin. 55 (2). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: 15.
  2. ^ Dvorak, Petula (January 15, 2025). "The Gulf of Mexico's long history of colonization and varying names". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 13, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Limits of Oceans and Seas (PDF) (3rd ed.). International Hydrographic Organization. 1953. p. 14. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 8, 2011. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  4. ^ Chambers, Francesca. "Gulf of America? Trump says he'll change name of 'Gulf of Mexico'". USA TODAY. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  5. ^ Wolf, Zachary B. (February 13, 2025). "Americans voted for Trump. Did they vote for this?". CNN Politics. Archived from the original on March 18, 2025. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  6. ^ Franklin, Charles (February 12, 2025). "New Marquette Law School Poll national survey finds public strongly favors some Trump policies, strongly opposes others" (Poll release). Milwaukee: Marquette University Law School. Archived from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved April 1, 2025. Renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America is opposed by 71% and favored by 29%.
  7. ^ Mueller, Julia (February 24, 2025). "Trump holds 52 percent approval rating after first month in office". The Hill. Washington, D.C. Retrieved February 24, 2025.
  8. ^ Barrado Navascués, David (2023). Cosmography in the Age of Discovery and the Scientific Revolution. p. 80.
  9. ^ "Amerigo Vespucci". Encyclopedia Britannica. n.d. Archived from the original on February 6, 2020. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
  10. ^ Davies, A. (1952). "The "First" Voyage of Amerigo Vespucci in 1497-8". The Geographical Journal. 118 (3): 331–337. doi:10.2307/1790319. JSTOR 1790319. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
  11. ^ "Why are the Aztecs called Mexicas?" [Why are the Aztecs called Mexicas?]. Mexican Routes. November 23, 2023. Archived from the original on March 16, 2024. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  12. ^ Sledge, John S. (November 13, 2019). The Gulf of Mexico: A Maritime History. Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press. p. 25. ISBN 978-1-6433-6015-7 – via Google Books.
  13. ^ Wagner, James (January 28, 2025). "'The Gulf of America'? Here's What Mexicans and Cubans Think". The New York Times. New York City. Archived from the original on January 28, 2025. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  14. ^ Bush, Aidan; Clifton, Libby (January 22, 2025). "Along Gulf Coast, Donald Trump's plan for 'Gulf of America' touches residents' pride; some wonder what difference will it make". Gainesville, Florida: WUFT-FM. Fresh Take Florida. Archived from the original on January 23, 2025. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
  15. ^ Chiaramonte, Perry (March 20, 2025). "Trump's Idea for 'Gulf of America' Was Set in Motion Nearly Two Decades Ago, Under a Different President". The New York Sun. Archived from the original on March 21, 2025. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
  16. ^ Levi that, Dave (March 19, 2025). "Inside the U.S. Geological Survey's 'Gulf of America' Freak-Out". NOTUS (Allbritton Journalism Institute). Retrieved March 21, 2025.
  17. ^ "Can Trump really rename the Gulf of Mexico? Comedian's old suggestion takes on new life". Yahoo News. January 8, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  18. ^ "Call It 'Gulf Of America,' Not Gulf Of Mexico, Lawmaker Says In Bit Of Satire". NPR. February 9, 2012. Archived from the original on February 15, 2025. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  19. ^ "Before Trump proposed Gulf of Mexico renaming, a Democrat did the same". Newsweek. January 7, 2025. Archived from the original on February 17, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  20. ^ "HOUSE BILL NO. 150" (PDF). Mississippi House of Representatives. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 22, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  21. ^ Greene, Marjorie Taylor (January 9, 2025). "H.R.276 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): Gulf of America Act of 2025". www.congress.gov. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  22. ^ Prater, Nia (February 12, 2025). "Almost Nobody Wants to Call It the 'Gulf of America'". Intelligencer. Archived from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved February 13, 2025. The poll by Harvard CAPS and The Harris Poll surveyed 2,650 American registered voters.
  23. ^ Egwuonwu, Nnamdi; Stewart, Kyle; Marquez, Alexandra (May 8, 2025). "House votes to codify Trump's Gulf of America executive order". NBC. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  24. ^ Trump, Donald J. (January 20, 2025). "Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness". Whitehouse.gov. Washington, D.C.: The White House. Archived from the original on January 21, 2025. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  25. ^ Rohrlich, Justin (January 20, 2025). "Trump to make good on Gulf of America promise with bonkers executive order". The Independent. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  26. ^ Rogero, Tiago (January 20, 2025). "Can Trump really rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America?". The Guardian. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  27. ^ Frazin, Rachel (January 24, 2025). "Feds implement 'Gulf of America,' 'Mount McKinley' name changes". The Hill. Washington, D.C. Archived from the original on February 9, 2025. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  28. ^ "Trump Administration Actions: Geographic Naming". version 4, updated. Congressional Research Service. January 27, 2025. Archived from the original on February 3, 2025. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  29. ^ "Gulf of America Day, 2025". The White House. February 9, 2025. Archived from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved February 13, 2025.
  30. ^ NBC Chicago Staff (February 12, 2025). "Why did Trump change the name of the Gulf of Mexico? Here's what he's said". NBC Chicago. NBCUniversal Media. Archived from the original on March 6, 2025. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  31. ^ "Interior Department Advances Restoration of Historic Names Honoring American Greatness". www.doi.gov. U.S. Department of the Interior. January 24, 2025. Archived from the original on January 24, 2025. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  32. ^ McKinnon, Innisfree; The Conversation US. "Can Trump Just Order New Names for Denali and the Gulf of Mexico?". Scientific American. Archived from the original on February 16, 2025. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  33. ^ Yang, Maya (January 22, 2025). "US Coast Guard and Florida start using Gulf of America for Gulf of Mexico". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved February 13, 2025.
  34. ^ Babbar, Tanya. "Gov. Greg Abbott suggests 'Gulf of Texas' following Trump's name change idea". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on February 11, 2025. Retrieved February 13, 2025.
  35. ^ "New Marquette Law School Poll national survey finds public strongly favors some Trump policies, strongly opposes others – Marquette Law School Poll". January 27, 2022. Archived from the original on February 14, 2025. Retrieved February 13, 2025.
  36. ^ Prater, Nia (February 12, 2025). "Almost Nobody Wants to Call It the 'Gulf of America'". New York Intelligencer. Archived from the original on February 13, 2025. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
  37. ^ Perry, Mitch (February 18, 2025). "Poll: Majority of Floridians don't support changing the Gulf of Mexico to the 'Gulf of America'". Florida Phoenix. Archived from the original on April 10, 2025. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
  38. ^ "UNF Poll: Florida voters most concerned about housing and insurance costs: Find Trump, DeSantis moderately favorable" (PDF). University of West Florida - Public Opinion Research Lab. February 18, 2025. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 18, 2025. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
  39. ^ "Google Maps to rename 'Gulf of Mexico' to 'Gulf of America' for US users". Reuters. January 27, 2025. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  40. ^ Grant, Nico (January 27, 2025). "How Google Maps Plans to Handle the 'Gulf of America'". The New York Times. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  41. ^ "Gulf of America name change in the U.S. — what you'll see in Maps". The Keyword (Press release). Google. February 10, 2025. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  42. ^ Gurman, Mark (February 11, 2025). "Apple Is Renaming Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America on Maps App". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on February 14, 2025. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  43. ^ Rogers, Reece (February 11, 2025). "Here's How All Online Maps Are Handling the 'Gulf of Mexico' Name Change". Wired. San Francisco. Archived from the original on February 15, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  44. ^ Rogers, Reece (February 11, 2025). "Here's How All Online Maps Are Handling the 'Gulf of Mexico' Name Change". Wired. San Francisco. Archived from the original on February 15, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  45. ^ "USGS | Science for a Changing World". USGS {{|}} The National Map. Archived from the original on August 25, 2022. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
  46. ^ Barrett, Amanda (January 23, 2025). "AP style guidance on Gulf of Mexico, Mount McKinley". Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 23, 2025. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  47. ^ a b Mitchell, Archie (January 24, 2025). "UK has no plans to recognise Donald Trump's new name for Gulf of Mexico". The Independent. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  48. ^ Benton, Joshua. "Trump wants news outlets to get on board with 'Gulf of America' — or else. Will they?". Nieman Lab. Archived from the original on February 15, 2025. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
  49. ^ Zehra, Ailia (February 15, 2025). "Axios to use 'Gulf of America' in compliance with Trump administration". The Hill. Archived from the original on February 19, 2025. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
  50. ^ "Reporter banned from Oval Office event over editorial decision not to use 'Gulf of America,' AP says". CBC News. February 11, 2025. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  51. ^ Mastrangelo, Dominick (February 12, 2025). "Leavitt defends banning AP from Oval Office over 'Gulf of America' stance". The Hill. Archived from the original on February 13, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  52. ^ a b Watson, Kathryn (February 14, 2025). "White House bars Associated Press from spaces like Oval Office and Air Force One". CBS News. Archived from the original on February 14, 2025. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  53. ^ Yang, Maya (February 14, 2025). "White House bans AP journalists from Oval Office amid continued Gulf dispute". The Guardian. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  54. ^ Pitas, Costas (February 19, 2025). "Trump restricts AP access over Gulf of Mexico issue". Reuters. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  55. ^ Goudsward, Andrew (April 8, 2025). "Judge lifts Trump restrictions on AP while lawsuit proceeds over 'Gulf of Mexico'". USA Today. Archived from the original on April 8, 2025. Retrieved April 8, 2025.
  56. ^ Villagran, Lauren. "'Mexican America:' Mexico's president offers a new name in response to Donald Trump". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on February 13, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  57. ^ "Mexico's president one-ups Trump after he claims he'll rename the Gulf of Mexico". MSNBC.com. January 9, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  58. ^ "Mexico could file suit against Google for 'Gulf of Mexico' name change". Reuters. February 13, 2025. Retrieved February 13, 2025.
  59. ^ "Mexico sues Google over changing Gulf of Mexico's name for US users". The Guardian. London. May 9, 2025. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
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