President Donald J. Trump accomplished many significant things during his first presidency, including overseeing one of the strongest economies in modern American history, and no new wars which hadn’t happened in over 40 years. However, one of his most intriguing decisions was renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. On January 20, 2025, Trump signed an executive order titled “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness,” which changed the Gulf of Mexico’s name. While some have overlooked the change it has some real reasoning behind it.
One theory suggests that Trump made this change in response to a law enacted by former President Joe Biden, which restricted U.S. drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. By renaming it the Gulf of America, Trump may have sought to bypass these regulations, asserting U.S. control over the gulf’s resources.

Another theory is to emphasize American heritage and national pride. An example of this is Mount McKinley in Alaska but was renamed in 1975 to Denali because it was a common name used by Alaskan Native people. Trump's executive order changed the name back to Mount McKinley because it was more patriotic.
In a press conference President Trump stated that the Gulf is “currently run by cartels,” and by renaming it would pressure cartels to back off in fear of the U.S pressure. Not only would this benefit Americans working in the gulf but also neighboring countries.

The order also directed agencies to update all maps, documents, and communication. Google Maps announced plans to update its platform in line with the U.S. users, while keeping the original name for all other countries. Mexico has opposed the change with support from the United Kingdoms claiming that the name has been used for centuries and is essential for maritime navigation.

This small move is only the first step of Trump's master plan to bring back American heritage through the renaming of significant landmarks. These executive orders strive to honor American history and regain national pride.