Google to rename Gulf of Mexico and Denali after Trump’s order

In January 2021, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the renaming of significant geographic features in the United States, most notably the Gulf of Mexico and Denali. This order reinstated the historical name of Mount McKinley for Denali and changed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. These changes were based on Trump’s belief that such names represent American strength and greatness. Following the issuance of this executive order, Google announced its intention to follow suit by updating the names on its Maps service, but only after official federal updates to the Geographic Names Information System were made. Google indicated that the updates will apply primarily to U.S. users, while users outside the U.S. will likely see the original names due to global naming conventions. While some officials, including Alaska’s senators, expressed opposition to Trump's order, arguing it undermined indigenous history and culture, others justified the changes as being necessary to honor historical figures like President William McKinley. The Associated Press stated it would adopt the name Mount McKinley while maintaining Gulf of Mexico in its coverage to ensure recognition across various audiences. The controversy surrounding these name changes highlights a division over national identity and the representation of history within the landscape of American geography.