Trump Proposes Renaming Gulf of Mexico to 'Gulf of America'
President-elect Donald Trump has announced his intention to rename the Gulf of Mexico, suggesting it be changed to the "Gulf of America."
During a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Tuesday, Trump remarked, “We’re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring to it. It covers a lot of territory, and it’s just appropriate.”
The Republican leader stated that his administration would make the official announcement "pretty soon." He emphasized that the U.S. plays a significant role in the region, saying, “We do most of the work there, and it’s ours.”
Trump also spoke critically of Mexico, describing it as "a very dangerous place" currently facing significant challenges. He further reiterated his stance on border security and immigration, asserting that the U.S. must halt the influx of people entering the country, and continued his rhetoric about imposing tariffs on Mexico and Canada. "We’re going to put very serious tariffs on Mexico and Canada because Canada... they come through Canada too, and the drugs that are coming through are at record numbers," he said, though he did not provide specific data to support his claims.
The Gulf of Mexico is bordered by several U.S. states, including Florida, Alabama, Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, as well as Mexico. While Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has not publicly commented on Trump’s proposal, the two leaders have discussed tariff threats in the past.
In the same press conference, Trump also alluded to the possibility of using military force to retake the Panama Canal and potentially take control of Greenland. When asked about the latter, he responded, “I’m not going to commit to that. It might be that you’ll have to do something,” referring to his previous comments about these territories.
Trump's remarks on the Panama Canal included accusations that Panama was overcharging American vessels, calling their fees "exorbitant."