Vidostream | News, sport and opinion from the Vidostream's US Edition

https://vidostream.com

Trump says he will rename the Gulf of Mexico. Can he do that?

The president-elect told reporters Tuesday that he wanted the body of water called the Gulf of America, but he provided no details on how the change would be enacted.

President-elect Donald Trump, speaking during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, said he would change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.” (Evan Vucci/AP)

President-elect Donald Trump, speaking during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, said he would change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.” (Evan Vucci/AP)

Donald Trump on Tuesday said the United States would change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and the president-elect seemed to tie the prospective renaming to his long-standing grievances with Mexico’s handling of immigration, drug trafficking and trade.

“We’re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America,” Trump said at a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida. “ … What a beautiful name, and it’s appropriate.”

The president-elect subsequently decried the Mexican government for allowing migrants to “pour” into the United States, saying Mexico “can stop them and we’re going to put very serious tariffs on Mexico and Canada because Canada, they come through Canada, too.”

Trump provided no additional details about how he planned to implement the name change, but the comments sparked immediate questions about whether a president has the authority to rename an international body of water, and prompted at least one Republican member of Congress to draft legislation.

Here’s what we know about what Trump can and cannot do to rename the gulf.

What is the Gulf of Mexico and where is it?

The Gulf of Mexico is a 218,000-square-mile oceanic basin connected to the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean through the Florida Straits and the Yucatán Channel. It spans from the eastern coast of Mexico and the southeastern coast of the United States to the western end of Cuba.

Why is it called the Gulf of Mexico and who named it?

The body of water has been known by many names, but European explorers and mapmakers have used the name “Gulf of Mexico” for at least 400 years.

How can the Gulf of Mexico be renamed?

There are existing mechanisms to rename places recognized by the federal government. However, if the federal name change becomes official, that does not mean that other nations will recognize it.

The U.S. Board on Geographic Names is a federal interagency organization that is responsible for maintaining uniform geographic name usage throughout the federal government. The board operates under the interior secretary. The board’s Foreign Names Committee is responsible for standardizing foreign place names. The committee is composed of representatives from federal agencies, including several appointees specializing in geography and cartography. Members are appointed every two years.

While the BGN does not create names for geographical features, it approves or rejects names proposed by others based on its established policies. A recent example of the board’s work includes approval of replacement names for all features that included the word “squaw,” which is used as a derogatory slur toward Native American women. The name changes were made after an order by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland in 2021. Haaland is the first Native person to serve as a Cabinet secretary.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) said Tuesday that she plans to introduce legislation to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico through an act of Congress.

“I’ve directed my staff to immediately begin drafting legislation to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America,” Greene wrote on X. “This is important to begin funding the changing of maps for all agencies within the federal government, like the [Federal Aviation Administration] and the military. ”

Is there a precedent for officially renaming a gulf?

In 2020, the Foreign Names Committee within the BGN weighed in whether to rename the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Gulf — a fraught debate among Arab nations.

Iran has long insisted on the body of water being called the “Persian Gulf,” but Arab nations have preferred the term “Arabian Gulf.”

The committee determined that “Persian Gulf” was still appropriate based on its policies in favor of using conventional and widespread names, but added that the use of the term “Arabian Gulf” is acceptable in informal federal communications with Arabic-speaking military and government partners in the region.

Is there a precedent for a president to rename a geographical feature?

President Barack Obama approved the official renaming of Mount McKinley — the country’s highest peak — to Mount Denali, its traditional Native name, in 2015. Trump has vowed to overturn the name change.

Author: Maegan Vazquez

Source: The Washington Post

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. By continuing to browse, you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy.
You did not use the site, Click here to remain logged. Timeout: 60 second