Mexican president says the world will still call the gulf the Gulf of Mexico
Jan 21, 2025
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday addressed an executive order by President Donald Trump that renames the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America.
Trump filed the executive order “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness” on Monday, announcing his plan to rename Mount Denali and the Gulf of Mexico. With the president’s order, Denali would again be named Mount McKinley, and the Gulf of Mexico would be called the Gulf of America.
On Tuesday, Sheinbaum addressed Trump’s order during her daily press conference and said he can call the Gulf whatever he wants in the United States, but that in Mexico and in the rest of the world, it’ll continue to be known as the Gulf of Mexico.
Trump’s order appears to only be renaming the part of the gulf on the U.S. Continental Shelf that lies within the U.S. marine boundary and not the entire body of water. His order specifically says an “area bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the States of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida and extending to the seaward boundary with Mexico and Cuba.”
The president has asked that the Geographic Names Information System be updated so that all references to the Gulf of Mexico are removed and that the Gulf of America is added. The GNIS is the federal and national standard for geographic nomenclature and is part of the United States Geological Survey.
In his order, Trump said the gulf is the largest in the world, has a 1,700-mile coastline, and is an “integral asset” to our nation whose “natural resources and wildlife remain central to America’s economy today.”
“The bountiful geology of this basin has made it one of the most prodigious oil and gas regions in the world, providing roughly 14% of our nation’s crude oil production and an abundance of natural gas and consistently driving new and innovative technologies that have allowed us to tap into some of the deepest and richest oil reservoirs in the world,” the order said. “The gulf is also home to vibrant American fisheries teeming with snapper, shrimp, grouper, stone crab, and other species, and it is recognized as one of the most productive fisheries in the world, with the second largest volume of commercial fishing landings by region in the nation, contributing millions of dollars to local American economies.”
“The gulf is also a favorite destination for American tourism and recreation activities. Further, the gulf is a vital region for the multi-billion-dollar U.S. maritime industry, providing some of the largest and most impressive ports in the world,” the order said. “The gulf will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping America’s future and the global economy, and in recognition of this flourishing economic resource and its critical importance to our nation’s economy and its people, I am directing that it officially be renamed the Gulf of America.”
Trump ordered the Secretary of the Interior to “take all appropriate actions” to rename the Gulf of Mexico within 30 days of his executive action.