Trump Renames Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America

Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America on his first day in office. During a White House press briefing on January 20, 2026, marking the one-year anniversary of his second term, the president justified the change by claiming the United States controls 92 percent of the shoreline, while Mexico controls only 8 percent. However, other reports indicate the shoreline is nearly evenly shared between the two nations.

Trump revealed that he initially considered naming the body of water the Gulf of Trump. He stated that his advisors cautioned him that the move would not look good, and he expressed a fear that he would be killed if he did so. Despite these concerns, he fluctuated during the briefing, at times claiming the idea was a joke and at other times suggesting it might not be too late to implement the name change.

The renaming follows a broader pattern of administration efforts to brand federal assets, including claims of renaming the Kennedy Center and the U.S. Institute of Peace after the president. Other initiatives mentioned include Trump Gold Cards for visa seekers and Trump Accounts for children.