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US President Donald Trump (78) signed hundreds of decrees, including a law to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico officially

DLNews 

In a twist that blends geopolitics with cartography, Google Maps is set to embrace a historic renaming that could spark debates for years. Thanks to an executive order issued by former President Donald Trump, the Gulf of Mexico will be renamed the "Gulf of America" on digital maps—at least in the United States. This bold decision has already caused controversy, with some calling it a reclamation of national pride and others dismissing it as overreach on a global scale.

This will soon be over in the USA: The Gulf of Mexico will be shown as the Gulf of America.

The change stems from Trump’s directive, issued shortly after his inauguration, demanding renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America." A similar move was announced for Alaska’s Mount Denali, which will once again be known as Mount McKinley in the U.S., reviving a name tied to the 25th President of the United States. This means a tricky implementation for Google Maps: Americans will see the updated name, while Mexicans will retain the original. International users, meanwhile, will encounter both names—a compromise that reflects the enduring complexities of geopolitics.

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum swiftly opposed the decree, declaring that the country would not recognize the name change. “Our history and identity cannot be redrawn by a single stroke of an American pen,” Sheinbaum stated in a pointed response. For Mexicans, the Gulf of Mexico remains as steadfast as it was first recorded in the 16th century. The sea has always bordered U.S. states like Texas, Florida, Mexico, and Cuba, embodying a shared geography that defies unilateral renaming.

In a press conference in early January, Claudia Sheinbaum (62) reacted humorously to Trump's name change of the Gulf of Mexico, her counter-proposal: "America Mexicana" (Mexican America)

Google’s decision to adopt Trump’s decree hinges on the United States' "Geographic Names Information System" (GNIS), a federal database that tracks official place names. Once updated, Google explained on X (formerly Twitter) that it follows “a long-standing practice of adopting name changes when they have been updated in official government sources.” The result? A puzzling dual identity for the Gulf, where local names take precedence in specific regions while global users are left to navigate a map peppered with parentheses.

The move has not been without backlash. Critics on social media have accused Google of pandering to political whims, with some users branding the tech giant as “Trump’s bootlicker.” Others argue the renaming undermines the company’s credibility, particularly given the symbolic weight of place names in shaping cultural narratives. Even within the United States, reactions have been mixed. While Trump supporters hail the change as a patriotic correction, others see it as unnecessary interference with history.

As for Mount Denali—or McKinley—Alaska’s storied peak is caught in a similar tug-of-war. Renamed by President Obama in 2015 to honor the region’s Indigenous heritage, the mountain is now set to revert to its colonial-era name under Trump’s vision. Like the Gulf of America, this change highlights the tension between historical acknowledgment and nationalist symbolism, with critics questioning the wisdom of rolling back decisions meant to honor marginalized communities.

Google, ever diplomatic, insists its approach is merely procedural. “If official names vary in different countries, Maps users see the official local name,” the company stated. “Everyone else around the world sees both names.” Yet the idea of a double name—where America and Mexico coexist uneasily on a digital map—feels like a metaphor for broader global divides.

As the Gulf of America/Mexico debate simmers, one thing is clear: names carry weight far beyond their cartographic convenience. They shape our understanding of history, identity, and power, reminding us that even a simple map update can spark a conversation about who gets to draw the lines. For now, the Gulf’s name will reflect a divided reality that will likely keep tongues wagging, tweets flying, and historians scratching their heads for years to come.