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Why did the U.S. federal government begin using the name Gulf of America in 2025?

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Map of the Gulf of Mexico showing surrounding regions of the United States, Mexico, Cuba, and the Yucatan Peninsula. The map highlights underwater features such as shelves, escarpments, canyons, and the Mexico Basin, with varying shades of blue indicating water depths. Major coastal cities like Houston, New Orleans, Tampa, and Havana are labeled, and spot depths are marked in meters.
Gulf of Mexico / Gulf of America

In 2025, the United States federal government began using the name "Gulf of America" for the body of water historically known as the Gulf of Mexico following the issuance of Executive Order 14172 by President Donald Trump.12

In accordance with this directive, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names officially adopted the name for use by all federal agencies. While this change applies to official U.S. government references, the traditional name, "Gulf of Mexico," remains in widespread use both domestically and internationally.13