From the southern tip of Texas, the coastline of the United States stretches eastward toward Florida’s Big Bend, then extending south toward Key West. And it is the Gulf of Mexico that splashes along this shoreline… or is it?
On his first day in office, US President Trump signed an executive order requiring the federal government to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” on official maps – a change that could take months to enact and may or may not be immediately reflected on the digital maps Americans use daily.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has already used the reference in a state of emergency declaration about cold weather, as has the US Coast Guard in their statement about border protection. Will the Harvest Moon Regatta in October, which is the longest running and longest distance race in the Gulf of Mexico, be held on the Gulf of America?
The Gulf of Mexico is shared primarily by the US and Mexico, which have long controlled and utilized its waters. While a name change is theoretically possible, such a decision cannot be made unilaterally, and other nations are not obligated to recognize it. Legislation supporting the renaming expects to be submitted by January 23, 2025.
Source: https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2025/01/22/notice-of-race-update-for-gulf-of-mexico/
