Google Maps to Rename Gulf of Mexico and Mount Denali Following Trump’s Executive Order
Google has announced that it will change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in its Google Maps app, following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump. This decision comes after Trump ordered the name change on official US government maps. Google stated that the name change would appear only for users in the US and would be reflected once the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is updated.
The change was part of a broader set of actions by Trump aiming to "promote the extraordinary heritage of our Nation" and honor what he calls "American greatness", which also included the renaming of Mount Denali to Mount McKinley. Obama’s administration renamed the mountain Denali as a symbolic gesture to honor Native Americans in Alaska, but Trump’s executive order reversed this decision, aiming to honor President William McKinley.
The executive order criticized the previous administration's decisions, describing Obama's renaming of Mount McKinley as "an affront to President McKinley’s life, his achievements, and his sacrifice." Trump's executive order called for federal maps and documents to reflect the new names.
Google confirmed it would comply with the change and update its maps accordingly. "We've received a few questions about naming within Google Maps," the company said in a social media post. "We have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources.”
While the Gulf of Mexico will soon be labeled as the Gulf of America on Google Maps in the United States, users in other countries will continue to see both names, as per Google's standard practice. In Mexico, the Gulf of Mexico will retain its name, in line with the official name in that country.
How have people reacted?
The move has sparked mixed reactions. While some support the decision as a way to honor American history and heritage, others have expressed disapproval. Mexico's president, Claudia Sheinbaum, poked fun at Trump's decision, humorously suggesting that North America could be renamed “América Mexicana” or “Mexican America.” Sheinbaum maintained that for Mexico and the rest of the world, it would still be the Gulf of Mexico.
Indigenous organizations in Alaska, along with Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, have also criticized Trump's decision to revert the name of the mountain, saying that Denali should continue to be honored as the rightful name given by the region's Koyukon Athabascans. Murkowski argued that the mountain had been known as Denali for thousands of years, and its name should remain as such to respect Native American heritage.
Despite the backlash, Google reiterated its commitment to following official government name changes and noted that these adjustments would only affect the US. "When official names vary between countries, Maps users see their official local name," the company explained. "Everyone in the rest of the world sees both names. That applies here too."
These name changes come just days after Trump took office and have continued to draw attention as symbols of his administration's approach to honoring American traditions and history. Whether or not the changes will stick in the long term remains to be seen, especially as public debates over the renaming of landmarks and bodies of water continue.
