U.S. President Donald Trump gave a directive to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America in an executive order issued on January 20, which was published on the White House website.
“Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of the Interior shall, consistent with 43 U.S.C. 364 through 364f, take all appropriate actions to rename as the ‘Gulf of America’ the U.S. Continental Shelf area bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the States of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida and extending to the seaward boundary with Mexico and Cuba in the area formerly named as the Gulf of Mexico,” Trump stated in that executive order.
“The Secretary shall subsequently update the GNIS to reflect the renaming of the Gulf and remove all references to the Gulf of Mexico from the GNIS, consistent with applicable law,” he added.
Trump noted in the order that “the area formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico has long been an integral asset to our once burgeoning nation” and said “the Gulf was a crucial artery for America’s early trade and global commerce”.
“Its natural resources and wildlife remain central to America’s economy today. The bountiful geology of this basin has made it one of the most prodigious oil and gas regions in the world, providing roughly 14 percent of our nation’s crude-oil production and an abundance of natural gas, and consistently driving new and innovative technologies that have allowed us to tap into some of the deepest and richest oil reservoirs in the world,” Trump added in the order.
“The Gulf is also home to vibrant American fisheries teeming with snapper, shrimp, grouper, stone crab, and other species, and it is recognized as one of the most productive fisheries in the world, with the second largest volume of commercial fishing landings by region in the nation, contributing millions of dollars to local American economies,” he continued.
In the order, Trump also noted that the Gulf is “a favorite destination for American tourism and recreation activities” and dubbed it “a vital region for the multi billion dollar U.S. maritime industry”.
“The Gulf will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping America’s future and the global economy,” Trump went on to state.
Global law firm Ashurst confirmed to Rigzone that “Trump can rename the Gulf of Mexico so that it is referred to as the Gulf of America within the United States”.
The law firm added, however, that “other countries have no obligation to follow suit/are not bound by any such change”.
Rigzone has contacted the White House and the Trump transition team for comment on Ashurst’s statement. At the time of writing, neither have responded to Rigzone yet.
Rigzone also contacted the Mexican ministry of foreign affairs, the press office for the Mexican embassy in the United Kingdom, and the Cuban ministry of foreign affairs for comment on Trump’s executive order. At the time of writing, none of the departments have responded to Rigzone yet.
In its latest short term energy outlook (STEO), which was released on January 14 and completed its forecast on January 9, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) projected that the Federal Gulf of Mexico will produce 1.82 million barrels of crude oil, including lease condensate, per day in 2025 and 1.80 million barrels of crude oil per day in 2026. In 2024, the Federal Gulf of Mexico produced 1.76 million barrels of crude oil per day, according to the EIA’s January STEO.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) states on its website that “the Gulf continues to be the nation’s primary offshore source of oil and gas”.
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