In one of his first official acts as the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump has signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.”
Naija News reports that the president described the move as part of his efforts to “renew the pillars of American civilization.”
The order, which also restores Alaska’s highest peak, Denali, to its former name, Mount McKinley, directs the US Secretary of the Interior to update federal maps to reflect the changes.
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum has been appointed to oversee the process.
Speaking at a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump justified the renaming of the Gulf, claiming that it is “currently run by cartels” and emphasizing its significance to the United States.
Trump said, “It’s ours. We’re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring that covers a lot of territory.
“What a beautiful name. And it’s appropriate. It’s appropriate. And Mexico has to stop allowing millions of people to pour into our country.”
The Gulf of Mexico, now officially called the Gulf of America, is a crucial geographical and economic region. Spanning approximately 600,000 square miles, it is the ninth-largest body of water in the world.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Gulf accounts for about 50% of the nation’s petroleum refining and natural gas processing capacity.
Additionally, it contributes roughly 40% of the US seafood supply, according to the Environmental Defense Fund.
The name change has already been adopted in official state documents. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued an executive order referring to the body of water as the “Gulf of America” while discussing an upcoming winter weather event.
The order stated, “An area of low pressure moving across the Gulf of America, interacting with Arctic air, will bring widespread impactful winter weather to North Florida.”
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