Gulf of America: How Google handles controversial geography

In January 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" and to revert Mount Denali back to its former name, Mount McKinley. This move aligns with his "America First" policy, aiming to honor American heritage

Following this directive, Google announced plans to update its maps to reflect these changes. The company stated that it would rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and Mount Denali to Mount McKinley on its platform, in accordance with official U.S. government sources

However, the implementation of these changes has sparked controversy and confusion. While the U.S. government has mandated these updates for federal documents and communications, private companies like Google and Apple are not legally required to adopt these new names. As a result, platforms such as Apple Maps have continued to display the Gulf as the Gulf of Mexico, leading to public criticism.

Internationally, the renaming has been met with resistance. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum humorously suggested renaming North America to "Mexican America," emphasizing that Mexico would continue to refer to the body of water as the Gulf of Mexico.

The debate underscores the complexities of geographic naming conventions and the influence of political decisions on global perceptions. While the U.S. government has the authority to rename features within its jurisdiction, the global community and private entities are not obligated to adopt these changes, leading to a patchwork of naming practices across different platforms and regions.