Apple Renames Gulf of Mexico to ‘Gulf of America’ for U.S. Users in Response to Trump’s Executive Order
Apple has officially renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” on its mapping app for users in the United States, aligning with an executive order signed by President Donald Trump.
For US users, the body of water is now labeled as the “Gulf of America,” while international users will continue to see it as the “Gulf of Mexico.”
This change follows a similar move by Google, which updated its Maps platform on February 10 to reflect the new name for US-based users, while retaining the original name for those in Mexico and globally. Google’s blog post confirmed the shift: “People using Maps in the US will see ‘Gulf of America,’ while users in Mexico will see ‘Gulf of Mexico.’ Everyone else will see both names.”
The renaming of the Gulf of Mexico is part of a broader set of actions taken by Trump shortly after his inauguration on January 20.
This included renaming Denali, a mountain in Alaska, back to Mount McKinley, reversing President Barack Obama’s 2015 decision to recognize Denali, the name used by Alaska Natives for centuries.
The decision to rebrand the Gulf has sparked diplomatic tensions with Mexico, with President Claudia Sheinbaum expressing concern over the change and stating that the Mexican government would formally object.
As part of the crackdown on immigration, the US Coast Guard began using the term “Gulf of America” in official communications, as did Florida Governor Ron DeSantis when discussing a winter storm.
The move has also drawn attention in the US media. On February 11, the Associated Press reported that a White House event excluded one of its reporters for refusing to use the term “Gulf of America.”
This decision by Apple and Google has triggered controversy and raised questions about the intersection of technology, politics, and diplomacy, particularly as the names of geographic locations carry deep cultural and historical significance.
