Who owns the Gulf of Mexico and can Trump rename it?

On By Littum

President-elect Donald Trump is once again considering a major, long-term global move — like considering the “absolute necessity” of America’s purchase of Greenland — ahead of his incoming administration.

Now Trump is tossing around the idea of ​​changing the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America”.

The nations with the most “control” over the gulf are the United States, Mexico and Cuba, and they have shared water for years. The Gulf serves as an important center for economic activity, including fishing, power generation and shipping.

Why is the golf named after Mexico? It is not actually a reference to the modern state of Mexico, but rather to a Native American city bearing the same moniker, and it has carried that name for more than 400 years.

Despite the fact that the gulf is shared by several nations, Trump recently said the United States is doing “the most work” on the gulf, insisting the body of water should bear America’s name “because it’s ours.”

President-elect Donald Trump said he wants to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the 'American Gulf' because 'it's ours'
President-elect Donald Trump said he wants to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the ‘Gulf of America’ because ‘it’s ours’ (AP)

While ownership is up for debate, it is true that the United States has claimed control over much of the Gulf. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea established that US territorial waters extend 12 nautical miles from its shores, and the US federal government also manages the oceans and the submerged parts of the outer continental shelf.

As is typical of some of Trump’s proclamations, he didn’t provide technical details on how he might achieve the name change, kicking off action on the name at “a future date fairly soon.”

Trump-ally Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene said she planned to introduce legislation to change the name of the bay on Thursday.

“The American people pay the bill to protect and secure the maritime waterways for commerce. Our American armed forces protect the area from any military threat from foreign countries,” she said in a statement. “It is our gulf. Its rightful name is The American Gulf, and that is what the whole world should refer to it as.”

While the United States could pass legislation requiring a name change in the United States, there would be nothing to compel other nations to comply with this decision.

Trump also used his reflections to attack Mexico, calling the nation “very dangerous” and “in a lot of trouble,” citing drug trafficking and illegal immigration. But most of the drug trade from Mexico is aimed at meeting consumer demand from Americans.

Trump has further proposed imposing tariffs on both Mexico and Canada if the nations fail to meet his demands to stop illegal immigration and curb drug trafficking. He claimed that America’s neighbors are responsible for significant amounts of drugs and illegal immigrants, but did not provide data or evidence for his claims.

If Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo takes Trump’s threats to rename the bay seriously, she hasn’t shown it publicly. However, she has responded to his threats to impose tariffs, telling the former president that cartel violence in Mexico – and the instability it causes – is driven by US demand for illegal drugs and US-made weapons being smuggled into the country.

Trump has suggested potential U.S. military intervention in Mexico to engage drug cartels, said he would name Mexican drug cartels “terrorist organizations,” and elsewhere in Central America has accused Panama of overcharging U.S. shipping vessels for use of the Panama Canal.