Interior Department Officially Adopts Trump’s ‘Gulf of America’ and Mount McKinley, Even as A.P. Refuses To Rename Gulf

The federal government is following through on President Trump’s pledge to rename the two landmarks.

Lance King/Getty Images
A view of Denali, soon to be renamed Mt. McKinley, on September 1, 2015 in Denali National Park, Alaska. Lance King/Getty Images

The federal government is following through on President Trump’s pledge to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

It is also working to restore the name Mount McKinley to America’s tallest mountain, whose name was changed to Denali, its Native American name, by the Obama Administration ten years ago.

The Interior Department said in a press release on Friday that the U.S. Board of Geographic Names will work “expeditiously to update the official federal nomenclature in the Geographic Names Information System to reflect these changes, effective immediately for federal use.” 

The decision comes after Mr. Trump signed an executive order that directed the renaming of the landmarks. 

“The Gulf of America, formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico, is one of the most vital assets in the Nation’s history and economy. Spanning over 1,700 miles of U.S. coastline and encompassing nearly 160 million acres, the Gulf has been a critical artery for America’s trade, energy production, and maritime industries,” the department said.

Additionally, it noted that Mount McKinley, known by that name since 1917 in honor of President McKinley, is the tallest mountain in North America.

“President McKinley heroically led the Nation to victory in the Spanish-American War, fostering an era of rapid economic growth and territorial gains for the Nation. Tragically assassinated while in office, President McKinley’s leadership and sacrifice remain a testament to American resilience and success,” the release said. “The decision to return the peak to its historical name is a meaningful recognition of President McKinley’s enduring legacy.”

President Obama changed the name of the peak in 2015 to Mount Denali, which had been used by Alaska natives. 

The decision to restore the  25th president’s name to the mountain may be more widely adopted than Mr. Trump’s attempt to rename the Gulf of Mexico, which is bordered by other countries that are not obligated to adopt the change. 

However, some officials in America have already begun using the new name. Governor DeSantis used the new name in an emergency declaration about cold weather. 

Meanwhile, the Associated Press, whose AP Style sets the standard for many major news organizations and other publishers, said on Thursday it will continue to call it the Gulf of Mexico, but will acknowledge that Mr. Trump directed that it be called the Gulf of America. 

The AP, a nonprofit collective of news organizations, will “use the official name change to Mount McKinley. The area lies solely in the United States and as president, Trump has the authority to change federal geographical names within the country.”


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