US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that proposes the renaming of two important natural landmarks: the Gulf of Mexico and Mount McKinley, Alaska’s highest peak. According to reports, the Gulf of Mexico would be renamed the “Gulf of America,” while Mount McKinley would revert to its original name, a change made by Barack Obama in 2015.
The decision has drawn controversy and raised questions about the implications of the move, particularly on an international level.
Trump’s name changes are intended to celebrate “American greatness” and honor the country’s contributions to maritime industries, energy, tourism, and commerce. The Gulf of America, according to Trump, embodies the US’s critical role in these sectors, further reinforcing its dominance and global influence. Similarly, Mount McKinley, which was named after President William McKinley, represents a symbol of American strength and success, as he was assassinated in 1901.
The move has been widely covered since the executive orders tasked Trump’s nominee for Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, with effecting the change across official federal communications and maps. It is likely to further national pride, but its implications remain open to speculation.
US Name Change Process
The US government, through the Department of the Interior, may alter the names of geographical features in official documents and maps, but the changes would not be legally binding globally. Mexico and Cuba, which share the Gulf of Mexico, are not compelled to use the new name.
The name Gulf of Mexico, already in use for generations in international law and treaties, would not change in international agreements due to domestic US actions.
The US Board on Geographic Names, BGN is responsible for handling the renaming process of geographical features within the US. This way, the same names are uniformly maintained across all the federal agencies.
The BGN usually does not change the name unless there is a very good reason or it receives a strong suggestion. In this case, international recognition of this name change may require significant cooperation, though acceptance in the US is probable.
The controversy surrounding Trump’s renaming proposal is not unique to the Gulf of Mexico. In fact, the world has seen a long history of countries arguing over the naming of geographical features, especially bodies of water. One of the most famous examples is the dispute between Iran and Saudi Arabia over the naming of the waterway separating the two countries.
Iran refers to it as the “Persian Gulf,” while Saudi Arabia prefers the “Arabian Gulf.” The naming conflict is part of a larger political and historical struggle between the two nations.
Similarly, tension between Japan and South Korea exists due to the differences in the names of the sea that stretches between the Korean Peninsula and Japan: the Japanese refer to it as the “Sea of Japan,” while Koreans call it the “East Sea.” There is a sensitive history to Japan’s colonization of Korea.
Other major disputes over naming, such as the disputed South China Sea, also highlight the intricacies of geographical naming. The Philippines, China, and Vietnam all have competing names for the region, each name being tied to territorial claims and political motivations.
If the US carries out the intention of renaming the Gulf of Mexico, the ramification would cut across its boundaries. Mexico is a country that shares a coastline on the Gulf; it might react to this as a challenge on its sovereignty as well as neglecting its role in sharing its responsibility over this region. In the same light, Cuba will also be averse to such a move.