On January 20, an order titled Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness was signed, which requires the renaming of the oceanic basin that the U.S., Mexico, and Cuba share. Trump supported this change, arguing that the U.S. contributes the “most work” in the gulf and stated, “it’s ours.”
Google has updated its maps to reflect this change; however, users in Mexico will continue to see “Gulf of Mexico,” while users globally outside these nations will see both names.
The company indicated its commitment to comply with Trump’s directive once the updates are officially recognized by the U.S. Geographic Names System (USGS). This action aligns with their established practices regarding geographical nomenclature.
“As we announced two weeks ago and in line with our longstanding practices, we’ve begun implementing changes to reflect this update,” the tech company stated on February 10.
Additionally, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed it would also implement these name changes, updating relevant data and charts as necessary.
Trump celebrated the renaming on Truth Social, proclaiming February 9 as the first “Gulf of America Day,” and encouraged Americans to commemorate the occasion with ceremonies and programs.