Google has confirmed it will change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to ‘Gulf of America’ in Maps after Donald Trump signed an executive action to update official maps and federal communications.
The California-based search engine said it will start using the name as soon as the administration updates its “official government sources”, adding that it will change the name of Mount Denali to ‘Mount McKinley’ too.
President Barack Obama’s administration changed the mountain to Denali in 2015 as a symbolic gesture to Alaska Natives on the eve of his Alaska visit to highlight climate change.
Trump said he issued the order to “restore the name of a great president, William McKinley, to Mount McKinley, where it should be and where it belongs”, adding President McKinley “made our country very rich through tariffs and through talent.”
McKinley, who was from Ohio, never set foot in Alaska.
Google said it will change both names in accordance to Trump’s demands, posting on X:
“We’ve received a few questions about naming within Google Maps.
“We have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources.”
Google added that the name Gulf of Mexico will remain displayed for users in Mexico. Users in other countries will see both names, the company said.
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