A name is much more than a word. A name carries power. A name is an identity. A name tells a story. But a name should not be the result of a pointless political move.
On Jan. 20, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.” The current administration claims that this patriotic name change will assert the United States’ dominance over the world. In reality, it will only fuel division and erase the history and cultural significance of the name for the sake of petty exclusionary nationalism.
From a foreign perspective, this name change is trivial and unnecessary. Instead of striking the rest of the world as a commanding global superpower, the United States looks weak — prioritizing a political statement over actual issues. Coming from a president known for his anti-Mexican attitudes, implementing mass deportation and promising to build a wall across the Mexican border, this “Gulf of Mexico” erasure feels targeted. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Latino Americans contributed to 41% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product while making up less than 20% of the U.S. population — with Mexican Americans making up at least 40% of those Latino Americans. It makes no sense for the United States to want to erase the Gulf’s name and the history of an ethnic group that significantly contributes to its economy and cultural melting pot.
Well, the U.S. uses the Gulf more than Mexico, so the change makes sense, right? Not quite. Since 1976, the U.S. and Mexico have shared jurisdiction over the maritime territory, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. With the U.S. mainly utilizing the Gulf north and east of the Rio Grande, and Mexico using south and east of the Rio Grande, both countries rely heavily on this area for their fishing industries. Each country only has jurisdiction over 12 nautical miles around its territory, while the gulf is 810 nautical miles, and the U.S. uses 46% of the Gulf while Mexico uses 49% of it, as Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum pointed out on USA Today — so is it even legal for the U.S. to make this change?
According to the official White House website, the Gulf of Mexico is “a crucial artery for America’s early trade and global commerce,” hence the name change to the Gulf of America. However, Texas and most of the land surrounding the gulf belonged to Mexico until the mid-19th century, so this name change would not preserve U.S. history but rather detract from the Gulf’s true early history and ownership.
Time and time again, the U.S. has taken advantage of Mexico, with this name change only proving that history repeats itself. In the mid-19th century, U.S. President James Polk invaded Mexico and killed thousands because Mexico did not want to give up California and New Mexico. Despite the history between the two countries, Mexico came to California’s aid during the recent wildfires, having sent over 100 firefighters. Still, American media has hardly acknowledged their aid and continues to spread anti-Mexican sentiments across news sources instead of showing the full picture of U.S. and Mexican relations.
This executive order has broken long-lasting domestic ties, too. After refusing to call the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, the Associated Press (AP), a well-renowned and self-proclaimed politically independent newspaper, was banned from the White House on Feb. 18. Having an AP reporter challenge the necessity and quality of an order, protesting the name change by continuing to call it the “Gulf of Mexico,” should not lead to a restriction of the press. How does fulfilling the media’s constitutional duty to expose political flaws justify restriction for future coverage?
Even though the name “America” could hypothetically refer to the Eastern Hemisphere, the name change was explicitly intended to expand U.S. influence and replace the Mexican name. Additionally, calling the economically and historically treasured waters the “Gulf of America” may not seem like a direct insult to Mexico, but it demonstrates that the U.S. prioritizes senseless displays of patriotism and dominance over unity and respect. While President Trump believes that introducing the name “Gulf of America” on world maps will fuel his mission to “reclaim [the United States’] rightful place as the greatest, most powerful, most respected nation on Earth,” the change solely creates an unnecessary political divide between the U.S. and Mexico, building unneeded tension.
Instead of trying to assert U.S. dominance by eradicating history, Americans should advocate for policies that improve international and domestic relations by promoting mutual respect. History should not be rewritten to fit a nationalistic agenda, and the United States should embrace cultural diversity — the only way to become truly united. Rather than prioritizing political theater, the American government must tackle real issues like rising prices and unemployment. Political strength is built on the grounds of respect, not domination.
The Gulf of Mexico represents more than a body of water — it represents economic vitality, shared history and cultural connections. Thus, the name should remain the Gulf of Mexico, valuing international cooperation over senseless division.