Gulf of Mexico

Gulf of Mexico. A partially landlocked body of water on the southeastern periphery of North America, is connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Straits of Florida and to the Caribbean Sea through the Yucatán Channel.

On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14172, directing the renaming of the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America” for U.S. federal agencies.

This decision has been met with mixed reactions. Some corporations, such as BP, Chevron, Shell, Google, Microsoft, and Apple, have adopted the new nomenclature in their U.S. communications, aligning with the federal directive.

Conversely, media organizations like the Associated Press (AP) have chosen to retain the original name, citing historical and international recognition. This stance led to tensions with the White House, resulting in AP journalists being barred from certain event

Public opinion appears largely opposed to the renaming. A Marquette University poll indicated that 71% of respondents were against the change.

Despite the executive order’s applicability to federal agencies, international usage of “Gulf of Mexico” remains prevalent.