By Charles Switzer
5:14am PDT, May 11, 2025
Trump's Effort to Rebrand the Gulf of Mexico
President
Donald Trump's push to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the
"Gulf of America" sparked controversy and frustration. The effort began when Trump signed an executive order on Inauguration Day to officially change the name.
In an attempt to solidify the rebranding, he fought to pressure the
Associated Press into adopting the new name, though this was ultimately unsuccessful.
Recently, Republicans in Congress passed a bill to codify the renaming, requiring federal agencies to update all related documents within 180 days. The bill stipulates that any mention of the Gulf of Mexico should now be referred to as the "Gulf of America."
Here's what's happening.
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Republicans Push for Legal Codification
The rebranding effort continued to gain traction when Republicans in Congress took the matter further by passing legislation that would make the renaming official. The bill mandates that the Gulf of Mexico be referred to as the "Gulf of America" in all official federal documents, maps and regulations.
"The Gulf of Mexico shall be known as the 'Gulf of America,'" reads the bill, directing the Secretary of the Interior to oversee the renaming process across all federal documents.
CNN's Harry Enten Evaluates Public Reaction
On CNN News Central, Harry Enten analyzed the public's response to the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico.
Co-anchor John Berman asked Enten how well the name "Gulf of America" had resonated with the public since Donald Trump's proclamation. Enten's assessment was blunt: "It has bounced. It's like I'm wearing waterproof clothing. If the water was coming down on me and it was Gulf of America, it bounces right off of me. It has gone horribly!"
He explained that the rebranding effort had failed to catch on, highlighting search data and polling results as evidence.
Search Data and Polling Results
Harry Enten delved into the search data to emphasize the lack of public adoption of the new name.
According to Google search trends, the term "Gulf of Mexico" was overwhelmingly searched in all 50 states, while "Gulf of America" had no searches in any state. Enten pointed out that even Washington, D.C., registered more searches for "Gulf of Mexico" than for "Gulf of America."
He concluded, "When it comes to what Americans are actually using, they are sticking with the old name. They are sticking the Gulf with Mexico."
In addition to search data, polling also reflected the public's resistance. A March Fox News poll revealed that 67 percent of registered voters opposed renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, while only 31 percent were in favor. Even 36 percent of Republicans opposed the change, despite party support in Congress for the renaming.
Social Media Reactions
Social media users reacted strongly to the ongoing debate over renaming the Gulf. Many users expressed confusion and frustration at the push for a name change, with one X post reading, "How about we focus on more important issues than renaming bodies of water?"
Others were more supportive of Donald Trump's initiative, arguing that it symbolized American pride, though they were in the minority. One user commented, "I think 'Gulf of America' sounds strong, but it seems like the public isn't buying it."
