President Donald Trump’s executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America has been met with mixed reactions – from eye rolls to calls of patriotism – and has inspired new T-shirts and koozies sold at the Flora-Bama while being ridiculed on late night shows.
On Sunday, Trump doubled down by proclaiming Sunday as “Gulf of America Day” while traveling over the giant ocean basin to the Super Bowl in New Orleans. The Federal Aviation Administration and Google have changed the name; The Associated Press has not.
Soon, the State of Alabama will likely follow suit. Legislation was introduced Tuesday for all state and local entities in Alabama also recognize the name change.
Under HB247, all state and local entities are required to recognize the name change in newly created maps, documents, educational materials, websites, officials communications and other resources.
The bill also requires local and state entities to “make reasonable efforts” to update pre-existing resources owned by state and local entities to reflect the name change “where practicable.”
Rep. David Standridge, R-Hayden, the bill’s sponsor, said he anticipates the legislation coming before a House legislative committee next week.
The bill has 57 Republican sponsors, and would likely be signed by Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, who referenced the “Gulf of America” during her Feb. 4 State of the State address.
Standridge said the “No. 1 reason” for the legislation is because of Trump’s executive order.
Alabama is one of five U.S. states that share the Gulf coast. It is also shared with Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Vera Cruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatan, and Quintana Roo. To the southeast is Cuba.
“Being one of the Gulf states, I think it’s important to follow that with action here to make it clear with our state entities, school parks, and all of that, that we are following the executive order,” Standridge said.
Museum concerns
The National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico as pictured on Monday, Feb. 4, 2025, in downtown Mobile, Ala. The museum’s name is likely to remain the same for the foreseeable future despite an executive order by President Donald Trump to rename the ocean basin to the Gulf of America.John Sharp
The legislation has no Democratic co-sponsors.
It could raise concerns from some Democratic lawmakers in Mobile, where the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico is located on Water Street.
The museum completed last year a rebranding to remove the name “GulfQuest” from the museum’s title. The current name is the museum’s original authorized through a congressional designation about 15 years ago.
“The Gulf of Mexico is rooted culturally in Mobile,” said Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile. “We have attractions, branded by the Gulf of Mexico, things in our robust maritime industry, namely the Maritime Museum. The Gulf of Mexico is a jewel in our tourist industry, with the white beaches.”
A requirement to change the museum’s name would likely be costly. It would also come after Mobile city leaders unanimously approved to pay off $740,000 on the existing debt for the original exhibits installed inside the museum.
An unexpected expense could also affect fundraising for two future exhibits – a Mobile-Tensaw Delta exhibit, which will encompass an entire floor of the museum and is set to open in 2027; and an feature dedicated to the late musician Jimmy Buffett, a Mobile native.
Standridge said he is familiar with the museum’s situation, and said there is language in the bill that is meant to not place an “undue burden” on entities with existing resources with the Gulf of Mexico name.
“We want schools to use their existing resources,” Standridge said.
“But we want them to move forward and do their best due diligence to change their names and specifically use the names when instructing students.”
He added, “We understand there are resources and things out there and we don’t want them to have an immediate burden to change.”
Standridge said that if the museum changes out signage, the bill will require the new name.
The legislation does not include a penalty if a local or state entity does not comply.
State actions 
The Gulf of Mexico appears as the “Gulf of America” on Tuesday after Google changed the name on Maps. Google Maps screenshot.Google Maps
Alabama isn’t the only state moving ahead with the name change.
In Florida, a Republican state lawmaker introduced a bill requiring the state to update all Gulf references in state law to Gulf of America.
The 70-page bill requires the naming in over 50 Florida statutes. Included in that bill are languages pertaining to erosion control, beach management, coastal building zones, tidal land titles, marine animal regulations, and nature preserve boundaries.
In Texas, a House Joint Resolution would require an amendment to the state’s constitution to replace “Gulf of Mexico” with “Gulf of America.”
Republican Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry vowed to make sure the name change is reflected in state law.
In Mississippi, a Democratic lawmaker pursued the name change last month with satire, through it hasn’t been received that way online.
Democratic state Rep. Stephen Holland introduced a name changing bill as a measure meant to mock other bills cracking down on illegal immigration.
Holland’s proposal avoids even saying the word Mexico. It refers to “the body of water located directly south of Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties,” saying it will be renamed as the Gulf of America for “official purposes within the state of Mississippi.”
According to news reports, Holland introduced the bill because he felt the voters elected a majority group governing to “slam all minorities, and especially Hispanic.” But the bill, introduced in early January, was meant with criticism from commenters who took it at face value.
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Publish date : 2025-02-13 01:08:00
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