**Trump Renames Gulf of Mexico and Denali, Ignites Controversy Over Landmark Designations**
Following his inauguration last Monday, President Donald Trump swiftly commenced significant changes. Among his earliest actions was an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” and to revert Denali, the tallest peak in North America, back to its historical name, Mount McKinley. These moves, part of an initiative called “Restoring Names that Honor American Greatness,” have triggered debates and raised concerns about whether tech giants like Google and Apple will incorporate these alterations in their mapping systems.
### Executive Order Initiates Landmark Renaming
Trump’s directive, released on Monday, instructed the U.S. government’s Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) to revise all federal mentions of the Gulf of Mexico and Denali. The Gulf of Mexico, bordered by the U.S., Mexico, and Cuba, has been renamed the Gulf of America, with the order highlighting its “critical importance to our Nation’s economy and its people.” Similarly, Denali, which was designated Mount McKinley in 1896 after presidential candidate William McKinley but returned to its original name in 2015 by President Barack Obama, will now again be referred to as Mount McKinley.
The executive order underscored that all federal maps, documents, and communications must adopt the new names. However, this directive is limited to the U.S. government, leaving private entities like Google and Apple at liberty to choose whether to comply.
### Tech Giants Yet to Revise Maps
In spite of the executive order, neither Google Maps nor Apple Maps has revised their platforms to reflect the new names. A Mashable investigation revealed that both services continue to refer to the Gulf as the Gulf of Mexico and the mountain as Denali. When searching for “Mount McKinley” on either service, users are redirected to Denali, with Google Maps even modifying the search term to “Denali.” Apple Maps, however, shows a pop-up displaying Mount McKinley when searched, though this feature may have existed before Trump’s order, as the mountain was known by that name until 2015.
Attempts to search for the “Gulf of America” on Apple Maps direct users to the Gulf of Alaska, whereas Google Maps suggests unrelated businesses or points to the Gulf of California. Both platforms continue to reference the Gulf of Mexico, and the GNIS has yet to update to the new names, as the executive order allows for a 30-day modification period.
### International Backlash and Uncertain Adherence
The renaming has already faced criticism from global leaders. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum dismissed the alteration, asserting, “For us, it is still the Gulf of Mexico, and for the entire world, it is still the Gulf of Mexico.” Sheinbaum had sarcastically proposed that Mexico could rename the U.S. as “América Mexicana” or “Mexican America.”
While companies like Apple and Google are based in the U.S., they are not legally bound to follow the executive order. Historically, Apple has made region-specific adjustments to its maps, such as labeling Crimea as Russian territory for users in Russia due to local laws. However, these changes tend to be infrequent and often contentious.
### Historical Context and Future Renaming Proposals
Trump’s move to rename Denali back to Mount McKinley has rekindled discussions surrounding the mountain’s designation. Native Americans have referred to the peak as Denali for centuries, and the name was officially restored in 2015 by President Obama to honor its indigenous significance. Trump’s order counteracts that restoration, claiming that the name Mount McKinley honors the 25th U.S. president, who was assassinated in 1901 and had no ties to Alaska.
The executive order also hints at future renaming possibilities, stating that the administration may look for suggestions on “additional patriots to honor” as the U.S. nears the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence next year.
### What’s Next?
As the 30-day adjustment period outlined in the executive order unfolds, it remains uncertain if Google and Apple will modify their maps to incorporate the new names. Even if they do, such updates may be restricted to U.S. users, as other nations are unlikely to embrace the renaming.
Mashable has contacted both companies for their input, but no replies have been received at the time of this writing. Meanwhile, some eager Google Maps users have flocked to community forums, questioning why the Gulf of Mexico has not been updated to the Gulf of America.
Whether these changes will be widely accepted or limited to federal documentation and maps is still unknown. For now, the Gulf of Mexico and Denali continue to bear their original names on most platforms, highlighting the challenges associated with renaming landmarks with significant historical and cultural context.