Donald Trump’s unconventional plan of renaming the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America” has now turned into reality.
With an executive order that changed the name of the Gulf and that of the Alaskan peak “Denali” back to Mount McKinley, the Department of the Interior wasted no time in implementing the aforementioned changes. Some people saw the dark in these changes while others saw the light in them.
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More about the executive order
The executive order described the largest gulf in the world as: “an integral asset to our once burgeoning Nation and has remained an indelible part of America.” Not only this but also: “a crucial artery for America’s early trade and global commerce.”
Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, wasn’t a fan
According to AP News, Sheinbaum said: “He says that he will call it the Gulf of America on its continental shelf. For us it is still the Gulf of Mexico, and for the entire world it is still the Gulf of Mexico.”
President Sheinbaum had her two cents to say
When Sheinbaum first heard of Trump’s plans to change the Gulf of Mexico’s name, she sarcastically suggested that he rename North America as “América Mexicana” or “Mexican America.”
Again, she insisted: “For us and for the entire world it will continue to be called the Gulf of Mexico.”
The Department of the Interior is “proud”
The Department of the Interior issued a statement, saying: “In accordance with President Donald J. Trump’s recent executive order, the Department of the Interior is proud to announce the implementation of name restorations that honor the legacy of American greatness, with efforts already underway.”
Their statement announced the changes
“As directed by the President, the Gulf of Mexico will now officially be known as the Gulf of America and North America’s highest peak will once again bear the name Mount McKinley,” the Department of the Interior continued in their statement.
Why they made these changes
They explained further and elaborated on why these changes were made, saying: “These changes reaffirm the Nation’s commitment to preserving the extraordinary heritage of the United States and ensuring that future generations of Americans celebrate the legacy of its heroes and historic assets.”
They are ready to embrace the change
“The U.S. Board on Geographic Names, under the purview of the Department of the Interior, is working expeditiously to update the official federal nomenclature in the Geographic Names Information System to reflect these changes, effective immediately for federal use,” they continued in the issued statement.
Mexico isn’t the only country against the change
The UK is taking Mexico’s side, saying that they will continue to acknowledge it as the Gulf of Mexico and will not amend maps to heed the American change, sticking to their existing process for labeling landmarks and regions.
Google Maps is under pressure
After Trump’s executive order, Google Maps has been under the pressure of Republicans to comply with the name change of the gulf. However, Trump doesn’t have the authority to force foreign countries to use the new name.
The only exception where maps will be amended
The only instance where international folks will amend the “Gulf of Mexico” on their maps to the “Gulf of America” is when they find the “Gulf of America” to be the most commonly used form to refer to the Gulf, which is unlikely to happen.
