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Donald Trump announced a new name for the Gulf of Mexico: the Gulf of America. During a Tuesday, January 7, 2025, press conference, the Republican claimed that the ocean basin belongs to America, but who actually owns it? And is it possible to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico?
Learn more about Trump’s plans for the ocean region below.
What Is the Gulf of America?
Trump proposed a change to the Gulf of Mexico to call it the Gulf of America instead. While speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, the president-elect noted, “We’re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Gulf of America — what a beautiful name. And it’s appropriate.”
He added that Americans “do most of the work there” and claimed that the Gulf is “ours.”
Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene shared her praise for Trump’s plan via Truth Social that day, further noting that she intends to introduce legislation for the name change.
“President @realDonaldTrump’s second term is off to a GREAT start,” Greene wrote. “I’ll be introducing legislation ASAP to officially change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to its rightful name, the Gulf of America!”
NOW – Trump says the name of the Gulf of Mexico will be changed to “Gulf of America.” pic.twitter.com/zAtdEmQwFt
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) January 7, 2025
Why Does Trump Want to Change the Gulf of Mexico?
Trump has argued with Mexico over a number of topics, but the most urgent one has been immigration. During his first presidency from 2016 through 2020, Trump told voters he planned to build a wall along the border between the U.S. and Mexico. According to the Associated Press, America constructed more than 400 miles of the wall along the border during Trump’s first term as president.
Who Owns the Gulf of Mexico?
According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, the U.S. “claims sovereignty” of the Gulf of Mexico “from the airspace down through the water column and into the subsoil.”
Can Trump Change the Gulf of Mexico’s Name?
According to the AP, Trump can possibly change the name, but not every country is required to agree with it. Both Mexico and the U.S. are a part of the International Hydrographic Organization: an intergovernmental organization that ensures the world’s bodies of water are properly surveyed and charted. The IHO sometimes names seas, and countries can refer to certain bodies of water under different names in their own documentation, per the AP.
