Jan 24, 2025 - Politics & Policy

Trump's name change creates gulf of confusion

Axios

Illustration of an American flag on a flagpole surrounded by sandbags in the middle of a rough ocean with the water about to spill over the sandbags. — Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

So ... are we still calling it the Gulf of Mexico, as it's been known for 400 years? Or is it really the Gulf of America now, pursuant to President Trump's executive order?

Why it matters: That tension — between the formal policy of the U.S. and longstanding common practice — is a real one for government agencies, map makers and even journalists.

State of play: The Interior Department told AP it will abide by Trump's name change, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has also embraced "Gulf of America." But the U.S. does not exclusively control the gulf — it's not entirely up to us what it's called.

Google and Apple Maps are both sticking with Gulf of Mexico.
So is AP style, the gold standard for newswriting.

Yes, but: AP style will adopt Trump's name change in Alaska, where he ordered the mountain known as Denali to revert to its past name, Mt. McKinley.

Because the mountain is entirely contained within the U.S., it's the president's decision what to call it, AP explained.

Go deeper: Tracking Trump's executive orders: What he's signed so far

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Trump's name change creates gulf of confusion

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