 "What's in a name? Trump repeats promise to rename Gulf of Mexico. Can he do it?")
President Donald Trump, in his inaugural address, reignited controversy by promising to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America,” a proposal he first floated earlier this month during a news conference.
Opening that potential venue for conflict came despite Trump vowed to be a unifier in the same speech.
The United States would start referring to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America,” Trump declared during his address, suggesting the rebranding would reflect the US’ status as what Trump has without evidence called the “most respected nation on Earth”.
The naming conflict would make the water body the latest in the world whose name is disputed between neighbours.
Who named the Gulf of Mexico?
The Gulf of Mexico has been depicted by that name for more than 400 years, with historical records suggesting it was derived from the Native American city of Mexico.
In the US, the Gulf is often called the “Third Coast” due to its shores spanning five southeastern states, while Mexico refers to it as “El Golfo de México.”
Can Trump change the name of the Gulf of Mexico?
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia voiced her support earlier, saying she would draft legislation to officially rename the Gulf, including funding for updated maps and administrative changes.
However, changing the name of a geographic feature is far from straightforward.
Even if the US administration unilaterally decides to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, it would not necessarily change how it is referred to worldwide. Other countries don’t have to follow the US’s decision in this regard.
It would also be geographically inaccurate since the Gulf is formed on Mexico’s side, not the US’s.
Mexico’s response
Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s president, had previously responded to Trump’s proposal to rename the Gulf of Mexico with a sarcastic counter-proposal to rename North America.
In her daily press briefing, standing in front of a global map, Sheinbaum had proposed dryly that the continent should be known as “América Mexicana”, or “Mexican America”. For this, she had cited an 1814 founding document that referred to the Gulf that way. The document precedes Mexico’s constitution.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsMexico showed that if its about countries unilaterally deciding what to call territories, two can play at that game.
With inputs from agencies
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