Trump Declares Feb. 9 'Gulf of America Day'

President Donald Trump officially declared Feb. 9, 2025, as "Gulf of America Day" to celebrate his executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico, signing the proclamation while flying over the gulf aboard Air Force One on his way to the Super Bowl in New Orleans on Sunday.

"I, Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim February 9, 2025, as Gulf of America Day," the proclamation read.

The declaration calls upon public officials and citizens "to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities."

The president's executive order states that the renamed Gulf includes "the U.S. Continental Shelf area bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the State 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."

However, the specifics of what these events might entail remain unclear, and it is uncertain whether this day will be celebrated annually or only this year, the New York Post reported.

"I took this action in part because, as stated in that Order, '[t]he area formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico has long been an integral asset to our once burgeoning Nation and has remained an indelible part of America," Trump said in the proclamation, according to the White House.

Trump announced the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico on Jan. 20, as part of his broader initiative to "restore names that honor American greatness."

When asked about his interactions with Mexican officials regarding the new name, Trump stated, "Interestingly I've never spoken to them about it. It was our call. I've spoke to them about many other things but I haven't really talked to them about it. They've never brought it up. I'm a little surprised at that."

As the president signed the proclamation, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum presented a map showing the new name, "Gulf of America," across the bottom of the United States.

Name Changes To Be Reflected On Maps

According to Burgum, major map providers like Apple and Google will begin updating their platforms to reflect the name change. However, Google stated that while it would comply, users might still see the "official local name" depending on their location.

Shortly after Trump's executive order, the U.S. Coast Guard officially adopted the term "Gulf of America," marking the U.S. government's first formal use of the new name.

Trump's previous executive order on name changes also called for Alaska's Mt. Denali to be returned to Mt. McKinley.

President William McKinley, the 25th President of the United States, led the nation to triumph in the Spanish-American War. In 1917, McKinley was honored with the naming of North America's highest peak after him. However, in 2015, the Obama administration removed his name from the peak.