AP Makes a Style Decision on 'Gulf of Mexico'

News organization will continue to refer to it as the Gulf of Mexico
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jan 24, 2025 12:00 AM CST
AP Decides How to Handle 'Gulf of Mexico'
The water in the Gulf of Mexico appears bluer than usual off of East Beach, Saturday, June 24, 2023, in Galveston, Texas.   (Jill Karnicki/Houston Chronicle via AP, File)

The Associated Press, which disseminates news around the world to multiple audiences, will continue to refer to the Gulf of Mexico by its original name while acknowledging the name Gulf of America, it reports in a new article explaining how it is responding to President Trump's name changes for several geographic locations in the US. The AP will, however, use the name Mount McKinley instead of Denali; the area lies solely in the United States and as president, Trump has the authority to change federal geographical names within the country.

"Denali" is the preferred name for Alaska's highest peak by Alaska Natives, while "McKinley" is a tribute to President William McKinley, designated in the late 19th century by a gold prospector. Then-president Barack Obama ordered Mount McKinley be renamed Denali in 2015, and Trump has now ordered the name to be changed back. Trump's territorial assertions, in line with his "America First" worldview, sparked a round of rethinking by mapmakers and teachers, and it's not immediately clear how many will follow Trump's lead on the "Gulf of America" rebranding. National Geographic, one of the most prominent map makers in the US, does not appear to have made a decision yet.

(More Gulf of Mexico stories.)

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