President Donald Trump will face a stumbling block regarding his intention to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
The executive order, issued on January 20, came just a day after Trump was sworn in for a second term as President of the United States, per BBC News.
Trump has some big plans. Credit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty
Trump hailed his return to office as the beginning of a “golden age of America,” pledging transformative changes for the country.
“From this day forward, our country will flourish,” Trump declared during his inauguration speech, where he outlined a mix of domestic and international goals, including an effort to obtain Greenland from Denmark.
Among Trump’s executive orders is a directive to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
The order argues for rebranding geographic features to “honor the contributions of visionary and patriotic Americans,” as reported by The Guardian.
In the executive order, the Gulf is described as “an integral asset to our once burgeoning Nation” and “a crucial artery for America’s early trade and global commerce”. As a result, Trump can now change the name of the Gulf on official US government documents.
Trump wishes to rename the Gulf of Mexico. Credit: Anna Moneymaker / Getty
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a prominent ally of Trump, has already adopted the new name in state legislation regarding weather and environmental policy.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Coast Guard has begun referring to the body of water as the Gulf of America in official communications.
However, the renaming is far from universally accepted, because Trump cannot force companies or other nations to follow suit and adopt the name change.
The Mexican President has waved away the notion of renaming the body of water. Credit: Manuel Velasquez/Getty
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum rejected the change outright, stating: “For us, it is still the Gulf of Mexico, and for the entire world it is still the Gulf of Mexico.”
The UK government also confirmed it would not adopt the new name.
According to The Telegraph, the name will not change on British maps unless the term “Gulf of America” becomes the dominant usage in the English language.
A government source explained that the name “cannot be universally changed by a single country”.
The decision has also drawn criticism from those questioning its practicality and impact on international relations.
Pressure is mounting on technology companies like Google and Apple to update their mapping platforms to reflect the new name, though neither company has commented on the matter.
Google still recognizes the body as the Gulf of Mexico on its Maps service. Credit: Google Maps
Trump’s announcement has also sparked ridicule within the United States.
Hillary Clinton, his former political rival, was seen laughing during his inauguration when the renaming plan was mentioned, a moment that quickly went viral online.
“Hilary Clinton p***ing her pants laughing when Trump said he will rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America,” one user wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Another commented: “Hillary Clinton laughing at Donald Trump babbling about wanting to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America is every sane person’s response.”
A third wrote: “Hillary Clinton can’t contain her laughter as Trump says he’s changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.”