In compliance with President Donald Trump's executive actions, Google Maps will soon reflect two significant geographical name changes in the United States: the Gulf of Mexico will be renamed the Gulf of America, and Mount Denali will revert to its previous title, Mount McKinley. These changes stem from actions taken by Trump early in his presidency to honor American heritage and influence how official U.S. maps depict these notable landmarks.
Google announced on its social media channels that the company would make these updates once the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), the official U.S. government database for geographic names, reflects the changes. "We have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources," Google stated. Both changes will be visible to U.S. users of Google Maps, while international users will see both names, adhering to Google's policy of displaying local official names based on their country of access.
The renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America follows a broader initiative by Trump to reinforce national identity. The executive order, signed shortly after he took office, argued that renaming the body of water is an important step in celebrating the nation's economic contributions. "It is in the national interest to promote the extraordinary heritage of our Nation and ensure future generations of American citizens celebrate the legacy of our American heroes," the order stated. Trump emphasized that the Gulf has played a pivotal role in the U.S. economy, making the name change not only symbolic but also a tribute to the nation's greatness.
In the case of Mount Denali, Trump's executive action reversed a 2015 decision by former President Barack Obama, who renamed the mountain in honor of the indigenous Koyukon Athabascans, who have long inhabited the region. The renaming of the mountain to Denali had been seen as a gesture of recognition for Alaska's Native American populations, and was met with applause from many Native groups. However, Trump's order to revert the name to Mount McKinley, named after the 25th U.S. president, William McKinley, has sparked backlash. Trump argued that McKinley's contributions, particularly his economic policies, justified the restoration of the original name. McKinley, he noted, had championed tariffs that helped grow the U.S. economy and was assassinated in a tragic attack on the nation.
The renaming of Mount McKinley to Denali has been a contentious issue for some time. Indigenous organizations and Alaska's Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski have strongly opposed Trump's move, stating that Denali, which has been known as such for thousands of years, should remain the official name. "Our nation's tallest mountain, which has been called Denali for thousands of years, must continue to be known by the rightful name bestowed by Alaska's Koyukon Athabascans," Murkowski stated.
While the U.S. government moves forward with these changes, reactions from other parts of the world have been less than enthusiastic. Mexican officials, including President Claudia Sheinbaum, poked fun at Trump's decision. "He says that he will call it the Gulf of America on its continental shelf," Sheinbaum remarked, adding sarcastically, "For us, it is still the Gulf of Mexico, and for the entire world, it is still the Gulf of Mexico." Her comments reflect the regional discontent surrounding the decision, as the Gulf of Mexico is central to the identities and histories of not only the U.S. but also Mexico and several Caribbean nations.
