Google Maps has updated the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America for U.S. users, following an executive order from former President Donald Trump. This decision has sparked a debate, with Google confirming that the change is based on information from official government sources.
“For users in the U.S., the body of water is now labeled ‘Gulf of America.’ Users in Mexico will continue to see ‘Gulf of Mexico,’ while users elsewhere will see both names,” Google said in a statement on Monday.
The name change is part of a broader initiative by the Trump administration to reinstate historical U.S. names. The same executive order also called for Alaska’s highest peak, Denali, to be renamed Mount McKinley. The name “Mount McKinley” had been used until 2015, when President Obama renamed it to honor Alaska’s Indigenous heritage. As of Tuesday, the mountain’s name on Google Maps remains unchanged.
The executive order referred to the renaming as a way to celebrate “American greatness,” criticizing the 2015 change as an insult to President William McKinley’s legacy, and highlighting his contributions to tariffs and the defense of U.S. values.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the U.S. Coast Guard have already begun updating official documents and charts to reflect the new names. “We are currently revising our data to incorporate the name change from Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America,” the FAA said in a statement.
The decision has led to mixed reactions, with some seeing it as a patriotic move, while others question the necessity of renaming landmarks with deep historical and cultural significance.
