If you’ve glanced at a map lately—specifically a federal one or maybe just your phone if you’re in certain parts of the country—you might have noticed something... different. The massive body of water south of Louisiana and Texas isn't always labeled the "Gulf of Mexico" anymore. Instead, it’s being called the Gulf of America.
It’s weird, right? For four centuries, the name was set in stone. Then, on January 20, 2025, Donald Trump stepped up to the podium and decided the map needed a makeover.
Basically, he signed Executive Order 14172. This didn't just suggest a name change; it directed the entire U.S. executive branch to start using "Gulf of America" in all official business. Since then, it’s been a whirlwind of legal fights, map updates, and a whole lot of confusion about where one name ends and the other begins.
Why Did Trump Change the Name?
Honestly, the reasoning depends on who you ask. If you listen to the White House or the Department of the Interior, they’ll tell you it’s about "honoring American greatness." The argument is that since the U.S. controls so much of the coastline and does the heavy lifting for security and trade in those waters, the name should reflect that.
Trump himself put it pretty bluntly during his inaugural address, saying the name has a "beautiful ring" and that it’s "appropriate" given the economic and energy ties the U.S. has to the region.
But there’s a deeper, more strategic layer here. By rebranding it the Gulf of America, the administration is leaning hard into an "America First" energy policy. It’s a psychological shift. If you call it the Gulf of America, it feels a lot more like "our" backyard when it comes time to talk about drilling for oil or gas.
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The Logistics: Who Actually Uses the New Name?
This is where things get kinda messy. An Executive Order is a powerful tool, but it has limits. Trump can tell the Department of the Interior what to call the water, but he can't exactly call up the United Nations or the government in Mexico City and demand they change their maps.
Federal Agencies: If you’re looking at a map from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) or reading a report from the Coast Guard, you’re going to see "Gulf of America." The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) officially updated its records in February 2025.
Big Tech: This was a surprise to a lot of people. Google Maps and Apple Maps actually started showing "Gulf of America" to users within the United States. If you’re sitting in a cafe in New Orleans, your phone says one thing. If you’re in Mexico City, it still says Golfo de México. It’s a localized digital reality.
The Rest of the World: Most international bodies, like the International Hydrographic Organization, are sticking with the historical name. They prioritize consistency for global shipping and aviation. To them, changing a name because of a political shift in one country creates too much room for error in navigation.
Drilling, Dollars, and the "Third Coast"
The name change isn't just about the letters on a map. It’s tied directly to a massive push for energy independence. In late 2025, the administration released a draft proposal to expand offshore drilling in the Gulf of America significantly.
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We’re talking about opening up areas within 100 miles of the Florida coast—places that have been off-limits for years. This has actually caused some friction within the Republican party. Florida politicians, even those who are usually big Trump supporters, are worried about what a spill could do to their tourism industry.
The Gulf region accounts for about 14% of the country’s crude oil production. By renaming it, the administration is trying to cement the idea that this is a national resource. It’s a rebranding of the "Third Coast" as the "American Coast."
What Most People Get Wrong
A common misconception is that the name "Gulf of Mexico" is now "illegal" or "wrong." That’s not really how it works. You can still call it whatever you want. Most news outlets, with a few exceptions like Fox News and Axios, still use the original name or use both.
Another big one: people think this happened overnight because of a whim. While the Executive Order was signed on day one, the idea had been floating around for a while. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene had been pushing for legislation to make the name change permanent by law, not just by order.
The Fallout with Mexico
As you can imagine, the reaction from our neighbors to the south wasn't exactly a "thumbs up." Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum was pretty dismissive, essentially saying the U.S. can call its portion whatever it wants, but to the rest of the world, it remains the Gulf of Mexico.
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She even cracked a joke about renaming North America "Mexican America" to show how silly the whole thing looked from their perspective.
It’s created a bit of a diplomatic headache. There are real questions about how this affects maritime treaties and fishing rights. If two countries can't even agree on what to call the water they share, how do they agree on who owns the fish or the oil underneath it?
What’s Next for the Gulf of America?
Is this name going to stick? It’s hard to say. If a different administration takes over in the future, they could easily sign another order and change it back. That’s exactly what happened with Mount McKinley and Denali.
For now, the Gulf of America is the official federal reality.
If you live on the coast or work in the energy sector, you should probably get used to seeing both names. It’s worth checking your local and state-level documents, too. States like Florida and Texas moved quickly to adopt the federal naming conventions in their own official papers.
Actionable Insights for You:
- Check Your Data: If you’re a boater or work in maritime logistics, double-check your charts. Most private GPS companies are still using "Gulf of Mexico" for safety and consistency, but federal charts will have the new name.
- Stay Informed on Leasing: The 60-day public comment periods for new drilling leases are the best way to have a say in how the "Gulf of America" is actually used.
- Don't Stress the Labels: For everyday travel and conversation, everyone still knows what you mean when you say "The Gulf." The change is mostly a high-level administrative shift for now.
Keep an eye on the courts, though. There are already several lawsuits from environmental groups and even some media organizations like the AP over how these naming mandates are being enforced.