Google has renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” on its Maps platform for users in the United States, following an executive order by President Donald Trump.
In a blog post, the tech giant stated that users outside the US will continue to see both the original and new name, similar to how Google handles other disputed geographic locations. “People using Maps in the US will see ‘Gulf of America,’ and people in Mexico will see ‘Gulf of Mexico.’ Everyone else will see both names,” the company wrote.
Google justified the change by citing its policy of following official US government geographic designations as listed in the Geographic Names Information System.
Trump, upon taking office, issued executive orders not only renaming the Gulf of Mexico but also reversing the 2015 decision to call America’s highest peak Denali, restoring its previous name, Mt. McKinley. Denali had been officially recognized under then-president Barack Obama in response to longstanding demands from Alaska Native groups.
The renaming of the Gulf has drawn criticism from indigenous activists and sparked diplomatic tensions with Mexico. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded with a jab, suggesting the United States be renamed “Mexican America,” referencing historical maps from before the U.S. took control of a third of Mexico’s territory in 1848.
