Donald Trump has been dominating the news since his return to the White House for his second term. He has covered a wide range of issues, from environmental policies to economic strategies. One of his most controversial decisions is renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Given critical global issues, it’s shocking something as insignificant as renaming a body of water would be such a high priority for the President. Yet, that’s exactly what has happened, and the name change is now in effect.
“People using Maps in the US will see ‘Gulf of America,’ and people in Mexico will see ‘Gulf of Mexico.’ Everyone else will see both names,” Google said in a statement.
This change follows Trump’s executive order, which requires all official government entities to reflect this new name. When Google faced questions about the update, a spokesperson explained that they follow their long-standing policy of reflecting official government sources when making name changes. In other words, Google Maps is just following the lead of the US government.
Trump’s speech ties the Gulf renaming to a broader plan. He claimed the move would ‘honor American greatness,’ aligning with his vision to strengthen national pride and identity. The Gulf of America, as he sees it, reflects the nation’s values and importance, and renaming it symbolizes this vision.
Denali vs. McKinley: Tradition or Legacy?
In 2015, Obama signed an order changing the name of the tallest mountain in North America from Mount McKinley to Denali, its Indigenous name. This decision was widely supported by Alaskans, who felt that Denali better honored the region’s history and Indigenous culture. Ohio politicians criticized the move, arguing that McKinley, who was from Ohio and served as the 25th president, deserved to be honored. The name change became a symbol of a larger debate over respecting Indigenous traditions versus honoring national historical figures.
Trump’s order takes a direct shot at Obama’s decision, calling the renaming of Mount McKinley ‘a direct insult’ to the late president’s legacy. Trump argues McKinley ‘championed tariffs,’ emphasizing his role in protecting American industries by imposing high tariffs on all foreign goods. This part of the order draws a parallel between McKinley’s policies and Trump’s economic agenda. Like McKinley, Trump has strongly advocate for tariffs as a means of protecting American businesses and workers from foreign competition.
This isn’t just about honoring the past; it’s about positioning Trump as the modern-day advocate of American industry and values. By renaming the Gulf and Mount McKinley, Trump reasserting American pride and identity.
Gulf and Mountain Rebrands Take Over
The federal government is moving quickly to implement these name changes across various agencies and platforms. The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) has confirmed it is updating its aviation charts and data to reflect the name changes. The update officially renames the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and restores Denali to Mount McKinley.
The US Coast Guard has also joined the rebranding effort, incorporating the Gulf of America name into its public notices and communications. The FAA and Coast Guard have embraced the effort, applying the name change across all government sectors.
This is not just about renaming geographical landmarks; it’s about reaffirming the country’s values and priorities. Some see this approach as an attempt to rewrite history. While others view it as a necessary step toward reclaiming national identity. Regardless of perspective, Trump’s rapid implementation of these changes shows his determination to shape how the US is represented both domestically and internationally.
Google Calendar Sparks Debate Over Cultural Representation
People have also noticed some changes to Google Calendar, which have sparked discussions about its stance on diversity. Certain holidays and cultural observances, such as Pride Month and Black History Month, no longer appear by default on the month. This has led some users to accuse the company of downplaying diversity by removing these events from the default calendar. The absence of these events sparked conflict, with many feeling Google is no longer prioritizing key cultural moments.
A Google spokesperson said that the company implemented the changes to Google Calendar last year as part of a broader revamp driven by feedback from users around the world. Google had been manually adding cultural moments from various countries, but this approach became unsustainable. With a global user base, maintaining a consistent list of events for every country and culture, has become challenging. As a result, Google decided to only display official public holidays and national observances sourced from timeanddate.com beginning in mid-2024. This change aimed to simplify the calendar, allowing users to manually
People still feel that it lowers the visibility of culture, and others appreciate the new system. Since these events matter to many, some see this as a step back for inclusion and representation.
As reported by CNN, the issue with Google Calendar highlights a broader trend in corporate policy and government action, where issues of national identity, historical legacy, and diversity are increasingly coming to the forefront. Whether it’s renaming the Gulf of Mexico or rethinking how cultural moments are displayed on calendars, these decisions reflect larger debates about how society should remember and celebrate its past.
It’s All Part Of a Bigger Picture
These name changes aim to shape how the US and the world view cultural landmarks. The impact of these efforts is uncertain, but they’re sparking key conversations about identity, history, and technology’s role in shaping our world.
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