Official records from the U.S. Board on Geographic Names and Geographic Names Information System

Trump Issues Executive Order Renaming Gulf of Mexico to 'Gulf of America', Reverts Denali to Mount McKinley Amid Mexican Rejection

Jan 24, 2025, 02:40 PM

President Donald Trump has issued an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the 'Gulf of America' and to revert the name of North America's highest peak from Denali to Mount McKinley, fulfilling a campaign promise. The U.S. Department of the Interior has announced that it is implementing these name changes, effective immediately for federal use. The U.S. Board on Geographic Names is tasked with updating the official federal nomenclature in the Geographic Names Information System to reflect these changes. The U.S. Coast Guard has started using the term 'Gulf of America'. The renaming of the Gulf of Mexico, which has carried its current name for over 400 years, has sparked debate, with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum rejecting the change, stating that it will continue to be known as the Gulf of Mexico in Mexico and the rest of the world. The Associated Press has decided to continue using 'Gulf of Mexico' while acknowledging the new name, as per the AP Stylebook, but will use 'Mount McKinley' for the Alaskan peak, citing the president's authority over federal geographic names within the U.S. and reflecting the traditions of Alaska Natives.