As President Donald Trump settles into the White House after being sworn in today, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has made headlines by referring to the Gulf of Mexico as the 'Gulf of America' in an executive order. This name change was previously mentioned by Trump in a news conference earlier this month.
In the executive order addressing a severe winter storm expected to impact the South, including parts of Florida, DeSantis stated, 'an area of low pressure moving across the Gulf of America, interacting with Arctic air, will bring widespread impactful winter weather to North Florida beginning Tuesday, January 21, 2025.'
During his news conference, Trump expressed his desire to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, emphasizing the beauty and appropriateness of the new name. He stated, 'We’re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring. That covers a lot of territory, the Gulf of America — what a beautiful name. And it’s appropriate.'
This move by Governor DeSantis to adopt the 'Gulf of America' terminology in official documentation reflects the ongoing discussions surrounding the renaming of geographical features. While the Gulf of Mexico has been a well-established name for centuries, the proposal to change it to the Gulf of America has sparked debate and garnered attention.
It remains to be seen how this name change will be received by the public and whether it will be officially recognized beyond the executive order. The Gulf of America, as a new designation for the region, may have implications for various sectors, including tourism, trade, and environmental conservation.
