
In a bold, unprecedented move, former President Donald Trump issued an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America,” proving once again that if you don’t like reality, you can simply rebrand it. The decision was met with a mix of confusion, laughter, and a collective eye-roll from geographers worldwide.
Unfortunately for Trump, Google Maps, the true arbiter of geographical legitimacy, merely added “Gulf of America” in parentheses next to “Gulf of Mexico,” making it the cartographic equivalent of a pity mention. This half-victory is reminiscent of Trump’s infamous Sharpie-altered hurricane map—where his marker, not meteorology, dictated the storm’s path.
Mexico, meanwhile, had no official response, possibly because they were too busy enjoying the fact that the gulf is, geographically, still theirs. Meanwhile, Florida residents continue calling it “the ocean,” proving that no executive order can override sheer indifference.