President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday he wants to change the name of the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America,” among a recent string of controversial suggestions to expand the U.S.’ global footprint.
President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2024, … [+] in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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Key Facts
Trump announced during a press conference Tuesday from Mar-a-Lago he would seek the name change in retaliation for immigration from Mexico, which he called “a very dangerous place.”
The name change is “appropriate” because “Mexico has to stop allowing millions of people to pour into our country,” Trump said, repeating his threat to impose “very serious tariffs on Mexico and Canada.”
The threat comes after Trump suggested the U.S. should take control of Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal in recent weeks.
Trump did not rule out during Tuesday’s briefing using “military force or economic coercion” to take control of the Panama Canal or Greenland, telling a reporter who asked if he would rule out those two possible measures related to the proposed acquisitions, “no I can’t assure you on either of those two.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said a short time later on X she would “be introducing legislation ASAP to officially change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to its rightful name, the Gulf of America!”
The U.S. has jurisdiction over approximately half of the Gulf of Mexico, off the coasts of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, but the rest is controlled primarily by Mexico, with a small portion in Cuban territory.
How Did The Gulf Of Mexico Get Its Name?
Spanish explorer Sebastián de Ocampo in the early 1500s became the first European to discover the Gulf, according to the Texas State Historical Association, and it first appeared on maps as the “Gulf of Mexico” in the 1580s.
Key Background
The announcement comes a day after Trump suggested the U.S. should buy Greenland, reprising a controversial idea he floated in 2019. His son, Donald Trump Jr., is visiting the island Tuesday for a day trip he said is dedicated to tourism. Greenlander and Danish officials have rejected the idea. Trump also facetiously suggested Monday Canada should become the “51st state,” and he’s more seriously suggested he will demand control of the Panama Canal, complaining that the Panamanian government charges the U.S. “highly unfair” fees for ships passing through the canal. Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino dismissed the suggestion.
Tangent
Trump has feuded with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum after he threatened to impose a 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico in November. Sheinbaum, in a sharply worded letter to Trump responding to his tariff proposal, said “for every tariff, there will be a response in kind,” noting the potential economic consequences for U.S. auto manufacturers with presence in Mexico, according to multiple reports. “Migration and drug consumption in the United States cannot be addressed through threats or tariffs,” she wrote.
Further Reading
Why Does Trump Want To Buy Greenland? Here’s What To Know—As Don Jr. Arrives On Island. (Forbes)
Trump Says Canada Should Merge With U.S.—Trolling Trudeau As He Steps Down (Forbes)
Trump Says US Should Take Ownership Of Greenland And Threatens Panama Canal Takeover (Forbes)
