Britain has no plans to along with Donald Trump’s decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, The Independent understands.
Amid a slew of executive orders he signed on his return to the Whitehouse, the new president used executive order 14170 to “restore names that honour American greatness”.
“The area formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico has long been an integral asset to our once burgeoning Nation and has remained an indelible part of America,” the order states.
Mr Trump cited the abundance of oil and natural gas in the basin, the “vibrant American fisheries” in the Gulf as well as its status as a favourite for American tourists.
He said it will “continue to play a pivotal role in shaping America’s future and the global economy”.
“In recognition of this flourishing economic resource and its critical importance to our Nation’s economy and its people, I am directing that it officially be renamed the Gulf of America,” Mr Trump added.
The executive order means all government references to the area will refer to it as the Gulf of America, with the Gulf of Mexico stripped from America’s Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
Navigation apps such as Google Maps are under pressure from Republicans to follow along with the name change, but Mr Trump cannot compel foreign countries to use the new name.
While the US can choose how to label geographical features on its coastline, the UK will continue its existing process for labelling landmarks and regions, The Independent understands.
And sources told The Telegraph the name will not change on British maps until ‘Gulf of America’ becomes the most commonly used name for it, which is unlikely.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has hit back at the president over the name change, saying “the Gulf of Mexico is a name recognized by the United Nations”.
“For us and for the entire world it will continue to be called the Gulf of Mexico,” she said.
And she joked that if Trump went ahead with the renaming, her country would rename North America “Mexican America”.
