What simply occurred? Google Maps has formally modified the title of Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America for customers in the USA. The transfer follows President Donald Trump’s proclamation on Sunday that decreed the renaming and the next title change by the federal Board on Geographic Names.
Trump’s proclamation was signed aboard Air Pressure One as he traveled from Palm Seashore to New Orleans for Tremendous Bowl LIX. Government Order 14172, which formally renamed the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America, was signed on January 20, 2025. Titled “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness,” the order instructed the Secretary of the Inside to formalize the title change inside 30 days.
Trump additionally declared February 9 “Gulf of America Day” and urged People to commemorate the day with ceremonies, packages, and actions celebrating the area’s contribution to the American financial system.
In keeping with Google, the title change on Maps is a part of the corporate’s long-standing coverage of adhering to official authorities names for areas and different geographical options. Nonetheless, to adjust to totally different insurance policies in varied international locations, Google Maps will present the previous title to individuals in Mexico, whereas customers in the remainder of the world will likely be proven each names.
Alongside the Gulf of Mexico, one other well-known pure landmark will even see a reputation change following Trump’s govt order. Google confirmed final month that the nation’s highest peak, Denali, will revert to its former title of Mount McKinley on Maps. The mountain was renamed Denali in 2015 by President Obama to honor the area’s native inhabitants, which has referred to the mountain vary by that title for hundreds of years.
The Denali title change confronted objections from some teams, who claimed it was an try and rewrite historical past. Trump’s govt order highlighted these grievances and claimed that President Obama’s resolution to vary the title was “an affront to President McKinley’s life, his achievements, and his sacrifice.”
Following the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico, a number of federal companies have began incorporating the brand new title. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the US Coast Guard are two such companies which have already issued notices to inform their staff and companions in regards to the change. The previous is within the technique of “updating our knowledge and charts to point out a reputation change from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and a reputation change from Denali to Mount McKinley,” whereas the latter has began utilizing the brand new title in its public notices and different official communications.
