Major corporations, including BP and Chevron, have embraced President Donald Trump’s executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America,” aligning their terminology with the administration’s official stance, the Wall Street Journal reported.
BP, Chevron, and Shell are among the corporations adopting President Donald Trump’s renaming of the Gulf of Mexico, underscoring his influence over American businesses.
Trump signed an executive order early in his presidency to rebrand the 620,000-square-mile body of water, which borders the United States, Mexico, and Cuba, as the “Gulf of America.”
Companies with operations in the region have been quick to comply.
BP now refers to its drilling activities as being in the Gulf of America in regulatory filings and on its website.
Chevron Chief Executive Mike Wirth confirmed the company’s adoption of the term, telling analysts on a Jan. 31 conference call, “We’re calling it Gulf of America. That’s the position of the U.S. government now.”
Tech giants Google, Microsoft, and Apple have also updated their maps for U.S. users to reflect the new designation.
A Microsoft spokesperson said Bing Maps is updating its platform, while Google stated it follows official name changes. Apple has not commented on its decision.
The move highlights Trump’s continuing sway over corporate America.
Many companies have actively sought to align with his administration, making strategic shifts in areas such as diversity, equity and inclusion policies, and environmental initiatives. Corporations, particularly in the energy sector, are vested in maintaining favorable relationships with the Trump administration as it pursues pro-fossil-fuel policies, including potential expansions of offshore drilling leases.
Trump’s renaming order affects only federal publications and communications, leaving private entities free to use the original name. However, branding experts say corporations that adopt the change are signaling their willingness to cooperate with the administration.
“All these companies are very attuned and playing the long-term Washington lobbying game,” said Allen Adamson, co-founder of marketing firm Metaforce.
BP stated it updated the name to align with official U.S. government policy, while Chevron said it follows federal guidelines on geographic names. Some oil companies, including Exxon Mobil, Halliburton, and Murphy Oil, have yet to follow suit, still referring to the Gulf of Mexico in filings and statements.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 70% of respondents opposed the change, while the renaming has also affected media access.
The Associated Press reported that one of its journalists was barred from a White House event after the agency stated it would continue using the original name. “Limiting our access to the Oval Office based on the content of AP’s speech not only severely impedes the public’s access to independent news, it plainly violates the First Amendment,” the AP said in a statement.
The Gulf of Mexico has been internationally recognized by its historic name for over 400 years, with references dating back to the 16th century.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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