President Donald Trump had people rolling their eyes after he told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo that he had a different rebrand in mind for the Gulf of Mexico but that he ultimately "decided not to do it."
On the first day of his second term in office, Trump signed an executive order changing the "Gulf of Mexico" to the "Gulf of America." The order also reversed an Obama-era decision and changed the name of the Alaskan mountain "Denali" back to "Mount McKinley."
Typically, changing a geographic name involves a lengthy process, taking at least six months as the U.S. Board on Geographic Names consults with states, tribes, mapmakers, and other stakeholders. However, Trump’s order called for the change to take effect within just 30 days. This received significant pushback from news organizations and politicians alike.
Trump revealed the following:
"I was thinking about calling it the Gulf of Trump but I decided not to do it. I think that one maybe wouldn't have worked out. I'm not so sure, you'll have to tell me."
"But I was thinking about it's gonna be called the Gulf of Trump, but I thought, 'You know, that's not gonna play too well.'"
Trump insisted "You [Bartiromo] know I'm kidding," before Bartiromo smiled and said she believes Trump was "being facetious."
You can hear what Trump said in the video below.
Considering how much Trump loves to slap his name on things—like his effort to rebrand the Kennedy Center and the move to name a new class of warship after himself—people were not surprised by this narcissistic display.
News organizations like The Associated Press have maintained their usage of "Gulf of Mexico," citing its longstanding global recognition and consistency. The AP emphasized its role as a global news agency that delivers information to an international audience, requiring it to use widely recognized geographic names.
Similarly, Encyclopedia Britannica said it would not comply with Trump's executive order because "the Gulf of Mexico is an international body of water, and the U.S.’s authority to rename it is ambiguous."
The company, via its Twitter account, stressed that the body of water "has been called the ‘Gulf of Mexico’ for more than 425 years. But it’s important to note the distinction between international and domestic areas."
