Gulf Of America: Google Maps Makes Change After Trump's Order

TEXAS — Google has officially renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in its Maps application for users in the United States.

In a statement on Monday, Google confirmed it had begun implementing the update after President Donald Trump signed an executive order mandating the change on his first day in office.

People using Google Maps in the U.S. will see "Gulf of America" and people in Mexico will see "Gulf of Mexico." Everyone else will see both names.

"The names you see in the Maps app are based on your country location, which is determined by information from your phone’s operating system (e.g., iOS and Android), including your SIM, network, and locale," Google said in a statement.

"If you’re using Google Maps on the web, the names are based on the region you select in your Search settings or your device’s location, if you haven’t selected one."

The tech giant said it has a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources.

The U.S. Department of the Interior also updated the U.S. Geological Survey to reflect the change.

The changes stem from Trump's "Restoring names that honor American greatness" executive order signed on Jan. 20.

In it, the White House argued that renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America emphasizes the region's historical and ongoing significance to the U.S., including the Gulf's vital role in early American trade, its vast natural resources, including oil and gas, and its contribution to the nation's economy.

In addition to renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, Trump's executive order reinstates the name "Mount McKinley" for the peak in Alaska, reversing the Obama administration's decision to rename it Denali.

The surrounding national park will continue to be known as Denali National Park and Preserve.