Mary Benefield 3rd Vice Chair | DeKalb County Republican Party
Mary Benefield 3rd Vice Chair | DeKalb County Republican Party
The National Weather Service (NWS) has officially started updating its maps to reflect the new designation of the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America." This move is part of President Donald Trump's executive order titled “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness,” which he enacted on January 20, 2025.
During his first press conference after being certified as the winner of the 2024 presidential election, President Trump expressed his intention to rename the Gulf. He followed through with this promise upon taking office. Additionally, on February 9, he signed a proclamation marking that day as “the first ever Gulf of America Day.” During a flight over the area, it was announced from Air Force One that they were flying over the newly renamed body of water.
The NWS has begun implementing this change and updating their maps accordingly since around February 13. The change is already visible on The National Hurricane Center's storm tracking map. A statement from the NWS confirmed their commitment to carrying out the executive order.
Similarly, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has acknowledged its role in this transition, noting that such a significant name change involves various complexities and requires coordinated efforts.
Commercial applications have also adopted this change swiftly. Both Google Maps and Apple Maps now display "Gulf of America" instead of "Gulf of Mexico." Google made this adjustment last month shortly after President Trump's official declaration.
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