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2mo ago

Mexico Threatens Legal Action Over Google Maps' 'Gulf of America' Label

President Claudia Sheinbaum argues Trump's decree only applies to U.S. waters, as Google faces mounting pressure to revert the Gulf's name.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has threatened Google with legal action over maps that say "Gulf of America."
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US President Donald Trump speaks to the press before signing a proclamation renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America aboard Air Force One enroute to New Orleans, Louisiana on Febrary 09, 2025. For years, as disputes over names on the map riled up nationalist passions in several parts of the world, US policymakers have watched warily, trying to stay out or to quietly encourage peace. Suddenly, the United States has gone from a reluctant arbiter to a nomenclature belligerent, as President Donald Trump declared that the Gulf of Mexico will henceforth be called the "Gulf of America." In an executive order signed hours after he returned to the White House, Trump called the water body an "indelible part of America" critical to US oil production and fishing and "a favorite destination for American tourism and recreation activities." (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP) (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)

Overview

  • Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum plans to sue Google if it does not limit the 'Gulf of America' label to U.S. territorial waters on Google Maps.
  • Sheinbaum asserts that Trump's executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico applies only to the U.S. continental shelf, which spans 22 nautical miles from the coast.
  • Google defends its decision by citing a longstanding policy of reflecting official government sources, while offering to meet with Mexican officials for further discussion.
  • The Gulf's name now appears as 'Gulf of America' for U.S. users, 'Gulf of Mexico' for Mexican users, and 'Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)' elsewhere.
  • The controversy has intensified tensions between Mexico and the U.S., with Mexico emphasizing its sovereignty over 49% of the Gulf's waters.