Google Maps will change the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America

Google is complying with President Donald Trump's executive order, which renames the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of the Americas. This name change is expected to take effect on Google Maps soon. Google stated that this move aligns with its consistent practice of applying name changes after official government sources update the names accordingly.

Google explained in a statement that the names will be adjusted once the United States Board on Geographic Names (a government-managed database of place names and location data) is updated. Furthermore, Google will also revert the name of the highest peak in the United States, Mount McKinley, from Denali back to Mount McKinley. Former President Barack Obama renamed the Alaskan landmark Denali in 2015 to honor the region's indigenous people.

Both changes stem from an executive order signed by President Trump shortly after taking office, which asserted that these changes are "designed to celebrate America's greatness." The executive order stated: "It is in the national interest to promote the extraordinary heritage of our Nation and to ensure that future generations of American citizens celebrate the legacy of our American heroes."

The order criticized Obama's renaming of Mount McKinley to Denali as "an affront to the life, accomplishments, and sacrifice of President McKinley." The order also noted that McKinley "championed tariffs" and was assassinated "in an attack on our Nation’s values and success." Regarding the Gulf of Mexico, President Trump "directed that it be formally renamed the Gulf of the Americas." The executive order requires all federal government maps and documents to "reflect its renaming."

Google specifically noted that only Google Maps users in the United States will see these two changes because "when official names differ by country/region, map users see their official local name. Everyone else in the world will see both names. This situation also applies here."