The United States Coast Guard (USCG) and the state of Florida have commenced referring to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America,” following an executive order by former President Donald Trump. This rebranding aims to honor “American greatness” and has already influenced official proceedings within Florida. Governor Ron DeSantis referenced the new designation in a recent winter storm executive order, marking a significant shift in regional nomenclature.
The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), a federal database maintained by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) under the Department of the Interior, will undergo updates to reflect this change. According to the executive order, the Secretary of the Interior must implement these updates within 30 days. This alteration affects a 617,800 square mile maritime basin, though it remains unendorsed by any international body or formal protocol on naming maritime areas.
"President Trump is bringing common sense to government and renewing the pillars of American civilization," stated an advocate of the renaming effort.
The USCG has indicated plans to deploy additional resources to various strategic locations, including the maritime boundary between Texas and Mexico, now termed the "Gulf of America." However, the US Board on Geographic Names, also part of the USGS, advised caution.
"Changing a name merely to correct or re-establish historical usage is not in and of itself a reason to change a name," noted a statement from the Board.
"The US Board on Geographic Names, also part of the USGS, “discourages name changes unless there is a compelling reason”."
This sentiment reflects concerns over potential challenges arising from unilateral name changes, as this decision has not received formal approval from any international authority. Consequently, the renaming has yet to be incorporated into official international documents or maps.
"The area formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico has long been an integral asset to our once burgeoning Nation and has remained an indelible part of America," emphasized supporters, reinforcing the symbolic importance of America's ties to this region.