US President Donald Trump on 20 January, marking one year of his second term as the President of the United States (POTUS), expressed that he once considered renaming the Gulf of Mexico after himself instead of “Gulf of America.”
He stated that he did not go through with it, not because he lacked interest, but because he feared the reaction.
Why did Donald Trump say, “I thought I would be killed”?
During a long White House press briefing on Tuesday, 20 Jan, Trump said the idea crossed his mind more than once. I was going to call it the Gulf of Trump, but I thought I would be killed if I did that,” he argued.
He said that even his supporters warned him against it. According to the US President, the staff told him it would not look good, but he disagreed. “I wanted to do it. I wanted to,” Trump said, adding that he was eventually persuaded to drop the idea. “My people worked so hard. ‘Sir, I don’t think it’ll look too good,'” said the POTUS. “‘I’m telling you, it’s a good thing.’ No, but I decided not to do that.” He said he chose “Gulf of America” instead.
How does Trump align his statement with a joke?
Soon after the statement, Trump said that he had been “joking.” He clarifies that he was not seriously planning to rename the body of water after himself and wanted to avoid negative headlines.
Still, he expressed that he did not entirely let it go. “The Gulf of Trump. That does have a good ring, though. Maybe we could do that. It’s not too late,” he said. He then praised the alternative he landed on. “We have the Gulf of America now. It’s great.”
Does Trump’s Statement Follow a Familiar Pattern?
Though Donald Trump clarifies that he was joking, Trump has a long history of attaching his name to things.
Despite insisting he was joking, Trump has a long history of attaching his name to things. The Trump administration has moved to rename several federal institutions, including the US Institute of Peace and the Kennedy Center, after the president, a highly controversial step that reportedly dampened 2025 Christmas celebrations. The changes were made without congressional approval, which is mandatory for any official renaming.
The White House has also unveiled multiple initiatives bearing Trump’s name. These include proposed “Trump Accounts” for children born between 2025 and 2028, $1 million “Trump Gold Cards” for visa applicants, and even plans for a fleet of “Trump-class” battleships.
Why is the ‘Gulf of Mexico’ name bothering Donald Trump?
Trump said the name Gulf of Mexico had long “bothered” him, claiming the United States controls the vast majority of the shoreline. “We have most of the shoreline. Mexico has a small percentage, about 8 percent. We have 92 percent. So why is it called the Gulf of Mexico? It should be the Gulf of America,” he said.
However, the claim is inaccurate. In reality, the Gulf’s waters and coastline are shared almost evenly between the United States and Mexico, while Cuba controls just over five percent of the Gulf.
