Latest news with #BoardonGeographicNames
The Independent
12-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Who owns the Gulf of Mexico? What to know about Trump renaming it
President Donald Trump followed through on his promise to rename the Gulf of Mexico the "Gulf of America." Trump issued an executive order shortly after taking office to rename the gulf, and in February, the federal Board on Geographic Names formally changed the name of the body of water to the 'Gulf of America.' Trump also ordered Denali — the highest mountain in North America — to return to its previous moniker, Mount McKinley. On Super Bowl Sunday, Trump flew over the gulf in Air Force One and declared it the first-ever 'Gulf of America Day.' Trump's announcement comes at the same time as Republican Representative Buddy Carter's new bill aiming to change the name of Greenland — which is not under the authority of the U.S. — to 'Red, White and Blueland.' Google Maps has already adjusted the name of the gulf for American users. The name of the gulf is now the 'Gulf of America' on the app. Apple Maps has done the same. The Trump White House is reportedly punishing media outlets who don't recognize his executive order to change the name; the Associated Press claims one of its reporters was barred from a Trump event on Tuesday because the wire service did not refer to the gulf as the 'Gulf of America' in one of its stories. Trump insisted earlier this year that the gulf's name should celebrate the U.S. rather than Mexico. The nations with the most "control" over the gulf are the U.S., Mexico, and Cuba, and for years have shared the body of water. The gulf serves as an important center of economic activity, including fishing, electricity generation, and shipping. Why does the gulf bear Mexico's name? It's actually not a reference to the modern state of Mexico, but rather to a Native American city bearing the same moniker, and it has borne that name for more than 400 years. Despite the fact that the gulf is shared by multiple nations, Trump recently said that the U.S. does the "most work" on the gulf, and insisted that the body of water should bear America's name "because it's ours." While ownership is up for debate, it's true that the U.S. has claimed control over much of the gulf. The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea determined that U.S. territorial waters expand for 12 nautical miles from its shores, and the U.S. federal government manages the seas and the submerged parts of the Outer Continental Shelf as well. Trump ally Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene previously said she planned to introduce legislation to change the name of the gulf, though it ultimately wasn't necessary due to Trump's executive order. 'The American people are footing the bill to protect and secure the maritime waterways for commerce to be conducted. Our U.S. armed forces protect the area from any military threats from foreign countries,' she said at the time. 'It's our gulf. The rightful name is the Gulf of America and it's what the entire world should refer to it as.' Despite Trump's executive order requiring a name change in state and federal language, there is nothing forcing other nations to adhere to that decision. Trump's decision to rename the gulf may be part of a broader offensive against Mexico, which he's called "very dangerous" and "in a lot of trouble," citing drug trafficking and illegal immigration. However, most drug trafficking from Mexico is aimed at fulfilling consumer demand from Americans. Trump also proposed imposing tariffs on both Mexico and Canada if the nations do not meet his demands for stopping illegal immigration and curbing drug trafficking. He claimed that America's neighbors are responsible for significant amounts of drug and illegal immigrant crossings, but did not provide data or evidence for his claims. The president eventually backed off his tariff promises after his initial threats. If Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo said she would ignore Trump's executive order, and urged other world leaders to do the same. She has, however, responded to his threats to impose tariffs, telling the former president that the cartel violence in Mexico — and the instability it causes — is fueled by American demand for illegal drugs and US-made weapons being smuggled into the country. Trump has proposed potential U.S. military incursions into Mexico to engage drug cartels, said he would name Mexican drug cartels 'terrorist organizations,' and elsewhere in Central America has accused Panama of overcharging U.S. shipping vessels for use of the Panama Canal.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Is it 'Gulf of Mexico' or 'Gulf of America'? Depends if you use Google Maps or Apple Maps
Google has officially changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in its Maps application. Two weeks ago, Google stated on X that it would update the name once the change is officially recognized in the U.S. Geographic Names System as part of "a longstanding practice." The move follows President Donald Trump's executive order to rename the body of water and the federal Board on Geographic Names formally changing it Monday. 'We have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources,' Google said. The Geographic Names Information System, which is under the United States Geological Survey, provides the names used in Google Maps. This change has faced opposition from Mexican officials, who argue that renaming the Gulf violates international agreements and historical naming conventions. Mount Denali in Alaska is also getting a name change — or rather, a name restoration. It will return to the name of Mount McKinley, after being officially renamed Mount Denali in 2015. Like the Gulf's name change, this was prompted by an executive order as part of President Trump's series of more than 100 directives on Inauguration Day. The name change for the Gulf of Mexico will be reflected in other regions, as well. According to Google, both 'applicable names will be shown.' 'When official names vary between countries, Maps users see their official local name. Everyone in the rest of the world sees both names. That applies here too,' Google said. An example of this practice is the Sea of Japan, or the East Sea, the name of which has been in dispute between Japan and South Korea. In Google Maps in the United States, the sea is designated the Sea of Japan (East Sea). A similar naming procedure is set to be used for the Gulf of Mexico in regions outside the United States. No, Apple Maps has not changed the name of the Gulf — a decision that has drawn both criticism and praise on social media. In short, no. Google Maps uses a significant amount of dynamically loaded content, which makes it difficult to manipulate text through simple scripts. With some research and effort, it could be possible to revert "Gulf of America" to "Gulf of Mexico" on your desktop browser with the right extension and custom JavaScript code. However, because many sites, including Google Maps, use JavaScript to render text dynamically, this can still be a difficult task for browser extensions to handle. For those seeking a simpler solution, using an alternative mapping service — such as Bing or Apple Maps — could be the easiest way to avoid the change, as these services haven't yet confirmed the renaming. The executive order is legally binding for federal agencies and government use once recognized by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. However, this doesn't mean the change will be immediate for private companies or international sources. It's unlikely that private educational materials will update to reflect the new name in the short term, as the renaming has not yet been universally recognized. Additionally, the name could be subject to change if a future administration decides to rename it again in four years. If the renaming becomes more widely accepted or codified into law over a longer period, it could eventually influence educational resources, though such changes typically take time. For now, the name change will primarily affect government documents and maps. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: 'Gulf of America': Google Maps adopts new name, but Apple Maps hasn't
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Google Maps now shows Gulf of Mexico as Gulf of America for U.S. users
The Gulf of Mexico is now called the Gulf of America for Google Maps users in the United States, keeping with the terms of President Trump's controversial executive order to rename the body of water. Google made the change starting Monday. It followed an updated site listing for the Gulf in the Geographic Names Information System, a government database run by the Interior Department that includes descriptions and location information for more than a million places in U.S. territory. The system's new description for the Gulf, an ocean basin that shares nearly equal lengths of shoreline with the U.S. and Mexico, reads: "The Gulf of America, formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico, with an average depth 5300 ft is a major body of water bordered and nearly landlocked by North America with the Gulf's eastern, northern, and northwestern shores in the U.S. and its southwestern and southern shores in Mexico." The description notes that the change complies with Mr. Trump's order titled "Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness," which he signed on Inauguration Day. Google previously acknowledged Mr. Trump's executive order would affect what U.S. users see in their Maps applications but said the company would take its cue from the Board on Geographic Names, which handles federal nomenclature, to act on the directive. Although people accessing Google Maps from inside the U.S. will see the name Gulf of America, users in Mexico will continue to see the basin's earlier title. Maps users everywhere else in the world will see both names, Google said. "The names you see in the Maps app are based on your country location, which is determined by information from your phone's operating system (e.g., iOS and Android), including your SIM, network, and locale," Google said in a statement Monday explaining the name change. "If you're using Google Maps on the web, the names are based on the region you select in your Search settings or your device's location, if you haven't selected one." The Interior Department announced the Gulf of Mexico had been formally renamed the Gulf of America during Mr. Trump's first week in office. In another change called for by the same executive order, Denali, a mountain in Alaska and North America's tallest peak, was renamed Mount McKinley after a slain president, for the second time in history, the department said. Denali is the traditional Alaskan Native name for the mountain. As of Tuesday, it had not been updated in the Geographic Names Information System or in Google Maps. Breaking down the best commercials from the Super Bowl Here's what could be behind surging flu cases, plus symptoms to watch New poll on Trump approval rating as steel, aluminum tariffs set
USA Today
11-02-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Is it 'Gulf of Mexico' or 'Gulf of America'? Depends if you use Google Maps or Apple Maps
Is it 'Gulf of Mexico' or 'Gulf of America'? Depends if you use Google Maps or Apple Maps Show Caption Hide Caption 'Gulf of America Day' declared as President Trump flies to Super Bowl "Even bigger than the Super Bowl." President Trump signed a "Gulf of America Day" proclamation as he flew over the gulf. Google has officially changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in its Maps application. Two weeks ago, Google stated on X that it would update the name once the change is officially recognized in the U.S. Geographic Names System as part of "a longstanding practice." The move follows President Donald Trump's executive order to rename the body of water and the federal Board on Geographic Names formally changing it Monday. 'We have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources,' Google said. The Geographic Names Information System, which is under the United States Geological Survey, provides the names used in Google Maps. This change has faced opposition from Mexican officials, who argue that renaming the Gulf violates international agreements and historical naming conventions. Mount Denali in Alaska is also getting a name change — or rather, a name restoration. It will return to the name of Mount McKinley, after being officially renamed Mount Denali in 2015. Like the Gulf's name change, this was prompted by an executive order as part of President Trump's series of more than 100 directives on Inauguration Day. Other countries will see a different name The name change for the Gulf of Mexico will be reflected in other regions, as well. According to Google, both 'applicable names will be shown.' 'When official names vary between countries, Maps users see their official local name. Everyone in the rest of the world sees both names. That applies here too,' Google said. An example of this practice is the Sea of Japan, or the East Sea, the name of which has been in dispute between Japan and South Korea. In Google Maps in the United States, the sea is designated the Sea of Japan (East Sea). A similar naming procedure is set to be used for the Gulf of Mexico in regions outside the United States. Does Apple Maps show 'Gulf of America'? See social media reactions No, Apple Maps has not changed the name of the Gulf — a decision that has drawn both criticism and praise on social media. Is there a way to change the 'Gulf of America' label on your phone? In short, no. Google Maps uses a significant amount of dynamically loaded content, which makes it difficult to manipulate text through simple scripts. With some research and effort, it could be possible to revert "Gulf of America" to "Gulf of Mexico" on your desktop browser with the right extension and custom JavaScript code. However, because many sites, including Google Maps, use JavaScript to render text dynamically, this can still be a difficult task for browser extensions to handle. For those seeking a simpler solution, using an alternative mapping service — such as Bing or Apple Maps — could be the easiest way to avoid the change, as these services haven't yet confirmed the renaming. Will schools and textbooks change the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America? The executive order is legally binding for federal agencies and government use once recognized by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. However, this doesn't mean the change will be immediate for private companies or international sources. It's unlikely that private educational materials will update to reflect the new name in the short term, as the renaming has not yet been universally recognized. Additionally, the name could be subject to change if a future administration decides to rename it again in four years. If the renaming becomes more widely accepted or codified into law over a longer period, it could eventually influence educational resources, though such changes typically take time. For now, the name change will primarily affect government documents and maps.
CBS News
11-02-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Google Maps now shows Gulf of Mexico as Gulf of America for app users in the U.S.
The Gulf of Mexico is now called the Gulf of America for Google Maps users in the United States, keeping with the terms of President Trump's controversial executive order to rename the body of water. Google made the change starting Monday. It followed an updated site listing for the Gulf in the Geographic Names Information System, a government database run by the Interior Department that includes descriptions and location information for more than a million places in U.S. territory. The system's new description for the Gulf, an ocean basin that shares nearly equal lengths of shoreline with the U.S. and Mexico, reads: "The Gulf of America, formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico, with an average depth 5300 ft is a major body of water bordered and nearly landlocked by North America with the Gulf's eastern, northern, and northwestern shores in the U.S. and its southwestern and southern shores in Mexico." The description notes that the change complies with Mr. Trump's order titled "Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness," which he signed on Inauguration Day. Google previously acknowledged Mr. Trump's executive order would affect what U.S. users see in their Maps applications but said the company would take its cue from the Board on Geographic Names, which handles federal nomenclature, to act on the directive. Although people accessing Google Maps from inside the U.S. will see the name Gulf of America, users in Mexico will continue to see the basin's earlier title. Maps users everywhere else in the world will see both names, Google said. "The names you see in the Maps app are based on your country location, which is determined by information from your phone's operating system (e.g., iOS and Android), including your SIM, network, and locale," Google said in a statement Monday explaining the name change. "If you're using Google Maps on the web, the names are based on the region you select in your Search settings or your device's location, if you haven't selected one." The Interior Department announced the Gulf of Mexico had been formally renamed the Gulf of America during Mr. Trump's first week in office. In another change called for by the same executive order, Denali, a mountain in Alaska and North America's tallest peak, was renamed Mount McKinley after a slain president, for the second time in history, the department said. Denali is the traditional Alaskan Native name for the mountain. As of Tuesday, it had not been updated in the Geographic Names Information System or in Google Maps.
