The House of Representatives has officially passed a controversial bill that proposes renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. This legislative move is a significant step toward solidifying President Donald Trump’s initiative to change the name of this vital water body. The bill, which received approval with a narrow margin of 211-206 votes, will now be sent to the Republican-led Senate for further consideration.
Spearheaded by Republican ally and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, the bill has garnered backing from House GOP leadership. If enacted, it would mandate all federal agencies to revise maps and documents to reflect the new name, Gulf of America. Notably, only one Republican, Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, broke ranks to vote against the bill alongside Democrats, highlighting potential divisions within the party.
In an interview with CNN earlier this week, Bacon expressed his disapproval, stating, “it just seems juvenile.” He further stressed, “We’re the United States of America. We’re not Kaiser Wilhelm’s Germany or Napoleon France,” indicating that he believes the name change is unnecessary and trivial.
House Democrats have reacted strongly against the Republican-led decision to hold a vote on the renaming bill. They have labeled the legislation as a waste of time and taxpayer dollars. Democratic Representative Mary Gay Scanlon from Pennsylvania voiced her frustration, stating that the bill “may be the dumbest bill brought to the floor” during her tenure in Congress. She criticized the Republican leadership for indulging the president in what she termed a “whim that the American public does not support.”
On his first day in office, President Trump signed an executive order instructing that the Gulf of Mexico be renamed to the Gulf of America. Some government agencies, including the US Coast Guard, have begun to adopt this new designation, although international recognition of the name change remains absent.
“The American people are footing the bill to protect and secure the maritime waterways for commerce to be conducted,” Taylor Greene stated when she introduced the bill in January. She added, “It’s our gulf. The rightful name is the Gulf of America, and it’s what the entire world should refer to it as.”
The White House has recently emphasized this issue amid a legal dispute with The Associated Press, which has resulted in court involvement. Additionally, Trump is reportedly planning to initiate a name change for the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Arabia or the Arabian Gulf. This anticipated announcement is expected to coincide with his upcoming trip to the Middle East, where he will visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
Administration officials have indicated that discussions regarding this name change are ongoing, and it remains uncertain when the president will formally announce this new designation.
