Mexico has threatened to take legal action against Google if the company continues to label the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” on its maps for US users. The issue stems from an order issued by former US President Donald Trump, which only applied to the portion of the Gulf of Mexico under US control.
President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico stated that Google’s renaming of the Gulf region goes beyond Trump’s directive, which only affected the US continental shelf, extending 22 nautical miles from the coast. Sheinbaum emphasized that the changes made by Google to the naming of the Gulf of Mexico, including areas under Mexico and Cuba’s jurisdiction, were unrelated to Trump’s decree.
The Mexican government has strongly opposed the renaming, calling it “incorrect.” In response, Mexico’s foreign ministry sent a letter to Google expressing the country’s concerns over the issue.
This dispute began when Trump signed an executive order during his presidency to rename the Gulf of Mexico, a move that Mexico has consistently criticized. Following Google’s compliance with the order, Sheinbaum initiated diplomatic measures, urging the tech giant to reconsider the name change.
President Donald Trump, from right, speaks to reporters accompanied by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Burgum’s wife Kathryn Burgum, aboard Air Force One where Trump signed a proclamation declaring Feb. 9 Gulf of America Day, as he travels from West Palm Beach, Fla. to New Orleans, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)