Mountain View, February 11, 2025 – The Europe Today: Google officially announced on Monday that it has renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” for users accessing its Maps platform within the United States. This change is in accordance with an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump.
In a blog post, Google explained that users in the United States will now see “Gulf of America” when viewing the Gulf’s location on the Maps platform. However, users outside the U.S. will continue to see both the original and new name for the body of water, as is the practice for other disputed geographic locations. “People using Maps in the U.S. will see ‘Gulf of America,’ and people in Mexico will see ‘Gulf of Mexico.’ Everyone else will see both names,” Google stated.
The tech giant confirmed that this change aligns with its policy of following official U.S. government geographic designations through the Geographic Names Information System.
This alteration comes in the wake of a series of executive actions by Trump, including his decision to revert the name of Denali, America’s highest peak, back to its former name, Mt. McKinley. The name “Denali” had been officially recognized by the Obama administration in 2015, reflecting the name used by Alaska Natives for centuries.
Trump’s renaming efforts have sparked significant criticism, particularly from indigenous groups in Alaska who have long campaigned for the preservation of the Denali name. The decision also raised diplomatic concerns, especially with Mexico, due to the historical and cultural significance of the Gulf of Mexico.
In response to the renaming, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum humorously suggested calling the United States “Mexican America,” referencing a pre-1848 map that depicts a time when one-third of Mexico’s territory was seized by the United States following the Mexican-American War.
As Google implements this change, the dual naming convention serves as a reminder of the broader geopolitical tensions and cultural sensitivities surrounding the renaming of landmark geographical features.
