Trump’s astonishing decision–Why the Gulf of Mexico will never be the same again!
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In a move that has left geographers and citizens alike scratching their heads, the Gulf of Mexico—a body of water that has borne its name for centuries—has been rechristened under a new moniker.
This unprecedented change comes by way of an executive order from former President Donald Trump, stirring up a whirlwind of reactions across the nation and beyond.
The Gulf of Mexico is a vast and storied expanse of water that has been a cornerstone of maritime history, ecological diversity, and economic activity.
But in the United States, the Gulf of Mexico gets a new name.
The federal Board on Geographic Names, the authority responsible for maintaining uniform geographic name usage throughout the federal government, has officially implemented the change in the centralized Geographic Names Information System.
In accordance with one of President Donald Trump’s first executive orders, the body of water is now named the Gulf of America.
However, this change does not affect what other countries call it, and Mexico’s president promised to ignore it, requesting that others do the same.
The announcement was made even more public when Trump, flying over the Gulf on Air Force One during the Super Bowl weekend, declared the day as the “first-ever Gulf of America Day.”
Source: @SecretaryBurgum / X.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, accompanying the president, shared an image of an official USGS map emblazoned with the new name.
While some US agencies already started using the new name upon the January 20 order, it’s now effective across all federal governments since it’s been changed in the Geographic Names Information System.
Google has updated its maps to reflect this change, while Apple has remained silent on the matter.
Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has responded with humor, suggesting a name change of her own that would rebrand the United States as “Mexican America.”
Source: Guardian News / Youtube.
The international practice is to use whatever place name is preferred by the country a specific geographic feature belongs to. However, the gulf is near Mexico, the US, Cuba, and other island nations.
This isn't the first time geographic names have been a source of contention or political maneuvering. The Falkland Islands, as claimed by the British, are known as Islas Malvinas in Argentina. The latter country invaded the islands in 1982, causing a two-month battle that was won by the UK.
In addition to the Gulf's name change, Trump has also reversed the naming of North America's tallest peak.
Alaska officials called the mountain Denali, but only President Barack Obama's administration changed it to Denali officially in 2015. Although, it has been restored to its former title.
Trump said that Obama’s action was an "affront to President McKinley’s life, his achievements, and his sacrifice." He also added that the reversal highlighted McKinley’s use of tariffs and “expansion of territorial gains.”
Source: FOX 5 Atlanta / Youtube.
McKinley, a Republican, added the countries of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, and Hawaii to the US in many forms. Despite the mountain’s renaming, the national park that encloses it continues to be known as the Denali National Park and Reserve.
Trump also suggested annexing Greenland, turning Canada into the 51st state, and reclaiming the Panama Canal through invasion.
How do you feel about the Gulf of Mexico's name change? Share your opinions and join the conversation in the comments below, but please remember to remain respectful.
This unprecedented change comes by way of an executive order from former President Donald Trump, stirring up a whirlwind of reactions across the nation and beyond.
The Gulf of Mexico is a vast and storied expanse of water that has been a cornerstone of maritime history, ecological diversity, and economic activity.
But in the United States, the Gulf of Mexico gets a new name.
The federal Board on Geographic Names, the authority responsible for maintaining uniform geographic name usage throughout the federal government, has officially implemented the change in the centralized Geographic Names Information System.
In accordance with one of President Donald Trump’s first executive orders, the body of water is now named the Gulf of America.
The Gulf of Mexico's name has purportedly been changed to the Gulf of America per an alleged executive order by President Donald Trump. Image source: Google Blog.
However, this change does not affect what other countries call it, and Mexico’s president promised to ignore it, requesting that others do the same.
The announcement was made even more public when Trump, flying over the Gulf on Air Force One during the Super Bowl weekend, declared the day as the “first-ever Gulf of America Day.”
Source: @SecretaryBurgum / X.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, accompanying the president, shared an image of an official USGS map emblazoned with the new name.
While some US agencies already started using the new name upon the January 20 order, it’s now effective across all federal governments since it’s been changed in the Geographic Names Information System.
Google has updated its maps to reflect this change, while Apple has remained silent on the matter.
Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has responded with humor, suggesting a name change of her own that would rebrand the United States as “Mexican America.”
Source: Guardian News / Youtube.
The international practice is to use whatever place name is preferred by the country a specific geographic feature belongs to. However, the gulf is near Mexico, the US, Cuba, and other island nations.
This isn't the first time geographic names have been a source of contention or political maneuvering. The Falkland Islands, as claimed by the British, are known as Islas Malvinas in Argentina. The latter country invaded the islands in 1982, causing a two-month battle that was won by the UK.
In addition to the Gulf's name change, Trump has also reversed the naming of North America's tallest peak.
Alaska officials called the mountain Denali, but only President Barack Obama's administration changed it to Denali officially in 2015. Although, it has been restored to its former title.
Trump said that Obama’s action was an "affront to President McKinley’s life, his achievements, and his sacrifice." He also added that the reversal highlighted McKinley’s use of tariffs and “expansion of territorial gains.”
Source: FOX 5 Atlanta / Youtube.
McKinley, a Republican, added the countries of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, and Hawaii to the US in many forms. Despite the mountain’s renaming, the national park that encloses it continues to be known as the Denali National Park and Reserve.
Trump also suggested annexing Greenland, turning Canada into the 51st state, and reclaiming the Panama Canal through invasion.
How do you feel about the Gulf of Mexico's name change? Share your opinions and join the conversation in the comments below, but please remember to remain respectful.
