The Trump administration’s Interior Department announced on Friday (Jan 24) that it has officially renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
President Donald Trump authorised these changes shortly after assuming office on Monday. “As directed by the President, the Gulf of Mexico will now officially be known as the Gulf of America,” the Interior Department said in a statement.
The US has also reverted the name of the Alaskan peak known as Denali to its previous name, Mount McKinley.
"North America's highest peak will once again bear the name Mount McKinley," the department statement said.
Mount McKinley, named after former US President William McKinley, was renamed Denali in 1975 to honour its Indigenous heritage.
The name "Denali," meaning “tall” in the Koyukon language, was adopted following a request from the state of Alaska.
“These changes reaffirm the Nation’s commitment to preserving the extraordinary heritage of the United States and ensuring that future generations celebrate the legacy of its heroes and historical landmarks,” the Interior Department explained.
Will the change apply internationally?
Despite Trump’s directive, international recognition of the Gulf’s new name remains uncertain.
The Gulf of Mexico is a longstanding geographical term, widely recognised as a maritime reference for centuries.
Mexico, which also borders the Gulf, has previously expressed its opposition to Trump's suggestion of changing the name.
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Earlier this month, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum suggested renaming the United States as “Mexican America,” referencing an early 17th-century map that used the term.
“Why don’t we call it Mexican America? It sounds nice, doesn’t it?” she said, adding, “He talked about the name; we are talking about the name as well.”
(With inputs from agencies)