The Associated Press (AP) has announced its decision to refer to Alaska’s mountain as Mount McKinley instead of Denali, but it will not change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. US President Donald Trump issued an executive order on his inauguration day that led to these name changes.
According to David Rain, a professor of geography and international affairs at George Washington University, he believes these name changes may not become lasting changes. He stated that people’s perceptions of the names will largely depend on their feelings about Trump.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed amusement at the idea of renaming the Gulf of Mexico but maintained that it remains the same for her and the global community.
Google Maps has also adopted the new name, following Trump’s executive order. However, Mexican President Sheinbaum urged Google to use “América Mexicana” or “Mexican America” instead of North America when referring to the body of water. Despite this, Google did not immediately respond to her request for a comment.
The AP has chosen to refer to both names in stories about the Gulf of Mexico, while acknowledging the new name. This decision aims to ensure that place names and geography are easily recognizable to all audiences worldwide.
Source: https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/gulf-of-america-name-change-may-not-outlast-trump