I was honestly floored when I first heard about the plan to have Google Maps rename the Gulf of Mexico. It sounded surreal—like a strange collision between politics and geography. Yet here we are, with the location service allegedly set to honor Donald Trump’s executive request to rebrand it as the “Gulf of America.” But, as I dug deeper, I realized there’s more to this story than meets the eye.
Trump’s Executive Decree and Tense Borders
Trump vowed to change the name of the Gulf ahead of his inauguration (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Right after his inauguration on January 20, Trump ramped up his hardline stance on immigration and international influence. He talked about sealing the Mexican border and reinstating a travel ban, stating:
“We didn’t take people from certain areas of the world. We’re not taking them from infested countries.”
He also announced what he called the “largest deportation programme in history,” plus the controversial “Remain in Mexico” plan. Amid all those announcements came his declaration about rebranding the Gulf as the “Gulf of America.” According to Trump, it’s an “essential asset” teeming with natural resources. Some might say it was a typical move for him, renaming a body of water for symbolic impact—but the scope of it sure got my attention.
The Catch with Google Maps
If you’ve ever wondered how or why certain places get their names on Google, there’s a fascinating process behind it. In this case, if the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) confirms a name change, Google has a longstanding practice of updating its maps. Apparently, Google Maps rename the Gulf of Mexico could happen in the United States—but only there. Outside the States, it will still appear as the “Gulf of Mexico.” That’s because Google respects each region’s official nomenclature, so every user sees local names for their respective locations.
Mount Denali vs. Mount McKinley
The same principle applies to other spots in the US, such as Alaska’s Mount Denali. Trump also wanted to revert it to “Mount McKinley,” and Google says they’ll switch to that name for American users if the GNIS recognizes it. For the rest of the world, both names might be visible, ensuring accuracy and context for locals and international visitors alike.
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Mexico’s Response
Now, all of this fuss about a Google Maps rename the Gulf of Mexico doesn’t impress the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo. She openly laughed at the idea of rebranding it to the “Gulf of America,” saying Mexico would keep calling it the “Gulf of Mexico.” For her government, Trump’s decree holds no weight on their side of the border.
Using Trump’s own logic, Pardo even joked that maybe the United States should rebrand itself “Mexican American” based on some 17th-century map evidence. Her point was clear: The region’s history doesn’t align with unilateral name changes that only serve to bolster a political narrative.
The Bigger Picture
All of these official orders, comedic jabs, and technicalities highlight a deeper conversation about sovereignty, shared borders, and the power of naming. Personally, I find it fascinating that Google Maps rename the Gulf of Mexico in one country while leaving the original name in another. It underscores how technology, politics, and history collide in the simplest of things—like what we see labeled on a map.
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