One of Donald Trump's first decisions when he took office for the second time was to re-name the Gulf of Mexico. His executive order decreed that this body of water should be known as the Gulf of America within the US federal administration. The President didn't have the power to order all Americans to refer to the Gulf of America and not the Gulf of Mexico. And he certainly didn't have the power to require non-Americans, including Mexicans, to adopt the new name.
Google Maps and Apple maps have re-named the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America for their American users, but Mexican users will see the sea still called the Gulf of Mexico. Everyone else will see both names.
Do you say Gulf of Mexico or Gulf of America?
I will always say the Gulf of Mexico even if I was talking to Donald Trump. It's just a very minor act of resistance. I must admit when I first saw him reveal this executive order, it crossed my mind that the Gulf of Mexico was going to be called the Gulf of Trump!
Also I don't follow the logic, other than MAGA hubris, for the change of name. Here we have the Irish Sea between Ireland and Britain. Even though more British than Irish coastline surrounds the sea, it's still called the Irish Sea. The name doesn't at all offend my sensibilities. We also have the English Channel separating Britain from France though the French have always called it La Manche, again which is fine with me (not that I have any influence over the French).
Below is a poll where you can anonymously select how you refer to the Gulf of Mexico/America. More than one pick is allowed in the poll.
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26 comments
I had to go with other. See attached meme for why.
Not sure if the news made it over there or not, but the big orange baby recently launched a "Made in America" cell phone and service. They had to remove the cell coverage map from their website because it showed the "Gulf of Mexico". 🤣
I heard about those phones. The joke here was it only texts using capital letters!
@OddsAgainst Yeah, I heard that too.
I call it the Gulf of Catlandia. 🤣😂
That certainly beats the Gulf of America.
He can't change the GULF OF MEXICO no matter how hard he tries and I would never say the Gulf of America as it's always going to be the GULF OF MEXICO for me.
I hope your enjoying a wonderful weekend..
That's good to hear. All Trump can do is order all staff in the federal administration to use the Gulf of America instead of the Gulf of Mexico term while at work.
The first time I heard the commentators on one of Musk's SpaceX launches refer to it as the Gulf of America, I was shocked...and a bit angry because something as important as changing the name should, in my opinion, be something all Americans should vote on. I have since chosen to stop watching those launches due to Musk's involvement with them. I just couldn't support it, much as I love space exploration, because of what Musk did to our country.
I guess Musk was and maybe still is fully signed up to MAGA.
@spunkycumfun I have no idea what the relationship is now between trump and musk. it was hot and heavy for a week or two but now nothing. Unfortunately, trump has many, many other people to call nasty names and tell lies about, to keep him busy.
@AmyGood4Mea Musk's businesses, especially SpaceX and Tesla, are quite reliant on federal funding so I guess Musk will still support Trump.
The original names have been burned in my brain for decades and they will always be the ones that roll off my tongue. I still use the name Sears Tower for the WIllis Tower in Chicago and the Queensboro Bridge for the Ed Koch Bridge in NYC, and I am sure there are others.
I'm still saying Czech Republic and when I should say Chechia, and Swaziland instead of Eswatini.
@spunkycumfun Yes, that too
Not even a complete Jackass would think they have the power to change the name of a body of water that has held that name for centuries. Unfortunately, the difference between a complete jackass and the orange haired god of the religious right is the jackass is smarter and had more usable brains.
It will always be the Gulf of Mexico to me, most Americans and the rest of the world.
I'm very pleased it's the Gulf of Mexico to you.
This is one of those things that I just don't care about. I have sailed across the Gulf several times. One time I had to stop to help a fellow mariner. Even then, the only thing that mattered was our exact position. I don't think we even named the body of water. It was something like 25 degrees North, 85 degrees West. The next president will probably name it back.
I think it may be politically difficult, ie un-American, for the next US President to go back to the Gulf of Mexico name.
I’m surprised he didn’t name it the Gulf of Melania. 🤪 If I was a reporter talking to him I would say: So are you taking a vacation to the Gulf of Mexico later this year sir. 😂
I think Melania Trump prefers his money than a body of sea water!
Living less than a days drive away, we still say The Gulf. Have for my whole life.
At least calling it The Gulf means no choice has to be made.
Might as well call it the Gulf of Cuba for all I care. If that will piss folks off, even better.
I think the Gulf of Cuba has quite a ring to the name!
The Gulf of The Americas
That's fairer than the Gulf of America.
I probably just refer to it as "The Gulf" a lot just because from a U.S. perspective people would normally know what I am referring too. Habit has Gulf of Mexico burned into my brain.
I don't know how this difference got started and no one talks about this but Mexico and the U.S. call the river in TX that separates us by different names. Here in the U.S. it is the Rio Grande but in Mexico it is the Rio Bravo. Never new about the difference till see it made in an old John Wayne movie. In the movie when Wayne is talking to the Mexican military officer he refers to the Rio Bravo side (Mexico) and Rio Grande side (U.S.).
I was aware that the same river is called the Rio Bravo and Rio Grande depending which side of the river you're on.
Here, there's a small city in Northern Ireland which is called Londonderry or Derry depending on which side of the sectarian divide you belong to. It's a 'minefield' when visiting.