HOUSTON – Texas has now entered the chat.
Less than 24 hours after President-elect Donald Trump says he wants to rename the Gulf of Mexico, the governor of Texas is now throwing the Lonestar State’s name in the ring.
Recommended Videos
During a press conference on Tuesday, President-elect Trump said he wants to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the ‘Gulf of America.’
“We’re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America,” he said. “Which has a beautiful ring that covers a lot of territory, the Gulf of America, what a beautiful name.”
On Wednesday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott chimed in on X (formerly Twitter).
If we are going to rename things ….
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 8, 2025
… this is the move. https://t.co/GdBEPL7oDM
Abbott quoted a post from the Galveston vacation rental who posted a map with the words “Gulf of Texas” written over the water.
Gov. Abbott posted saying, “If we’re going to rename things... this is the move.”
Changing the name of a major geographical feature like the Gulf of Mexico involves a complex process.
It requires proposals from governments, discussions among bordering countries, and possibly input from international organizations like the UNGEGN.
The U.S. Board on Geographic Names can oversee changes within the U.S., but international acceptance and updates to maps and documents are necessary for widespread adoption.
