By Charles Switzer
4:18am PDT, May 7, 2025
Hageman's Support for Renaming the Gulf of Mexico
Republican Rep.
Harriet Hageman expressed her support for President
Donald Trump's controversial executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the "
Gulf of America." In the process, she raised questions about her knowledge of U.S. geography…
Hageman, who has aligned herself with Trump's policies, made her comments during a meeting of the House Rules Committee on Monday, May 5. She argued that the renaming was justified due to what she described as environmental concerns, particularly pointing to the pollution she claims has been coming from Mexico into the Gulf.
"I think another reason why we should change this to the Gulf of America versus the Gulf of Mexico is, for over 40 years, the country of Mexico has been dumping raw sewage into the area near San Diego, California," Hageman said.
According to the representative, the pollution has caused significant environmental damage, leading her to argue that renaming the body of water is a way for the U.S. to "retake and claim ownership of this area."
Here's what happened.
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Trump's Executive Order on the Gulf Name Change
In February, Donald Trump signed an executive order officially renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America." In the order, Trump stated, "As my Administration restores American pride in the history of American greatness, it is fitting and appropriate for our great Nation to come together and commemorate this momentous occasion and the renaming of the Gulf of America."
Since then, Trump has maintained a map in the Oval Office with "Gulf of America" written over the traditional Gulf of Mexico, reflecting
his administration's stance on asserting American sovereignty over the area.
While the renaming was met with criticism from various quarters, it was also supported by some of Trump's allies such as Harriet Hageman, who argued that this change is part of a broader effort to reclaim American pride and address ongoing environmental issues.
Hageman's Concerns About Pollution
During her address at the House Rules Committee, Harriet Hageman emphasized the environmental concerns that she believes justify the renaming. She painted a grim picture of the situation, claiming that raw sewage from Mexico has been polluting the waters near San Diego for more than four decades.
"I was just in San Diego meeting with some folks down there, and they described the situation," Hageman said. "It's an absolutely horrific, horrific situation. It is an environmental catastrophe and disaster created."
She claimed that this ongoing pollution was a critical reason for the Gulf's name change, framing it as an environmental disaster that requires immediate action from the U.S.
The Geographic Confusion
However, Harriet Hageman's assertion that Mexico's pollution is affecting the Gulf of Mexico near San Diego raised questions about geographic accuracy. San Diego, one of California's premier cities located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, is about 1,500 miles away from the Gulf of Mexico, which is bordered by the southeastern United States, Mexico and Cuba.
The Gulf of Mexico is not geographically connected to the Pacific Ocean, making the connection Hageman made between the pollution and the Gulf of Mexico technically inaccurate.
This confusion prompted some social media reactions questioning the logic behind Hageman's support for the name change. "If San Diego is on the Pacific, why are we talking about the Gulf of Mexico? Did we forget basic geography?" one X user posted, while another remarked, "Isn't the Gulf of Mexico in the south, while San Diego is on the west coast? This doesn't add up."
Public Reactions and Criticism
The renaming of the Gulf of Mexico — along with Harriet Hageman's comments — sparked multiple debates on social media. While some users defended the renaming as a necessary assertion of American control, others further criticized the decision for its inaccuracy and lack of substantial justification.
"I don't get how renaming a body of water makes any real difference. Mexico's pollution problem is a serious issue, but a name change won't fix that," one X user wrote.
Another commented, "Renaming the Gulf of Mexico to 'Gulf of America' is ridiculous. There's no way to back up Hageman's claims when the geography is all wrong."
While the debate continues, Hageman's support for the name change reportedly reflects broader political divisions for many, particularly over issues related to national pride and the U.S.-Mexico relationship.
