Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says that he is willing to work with President-elect Donald Trump on a proposal to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America"—but only if an unrelated condition is met first.
Why It Matters
Trump, who is set to be inaugurated and begin his second term in less than two weeks, has recently been escalating rhetoric concerning his desire to annex foreign territories like Greenland and the Panama Canal.
The president-elect has also suggested that Canada should join the United States and proposed during a news conference on Tuesday that the Gulf of Mexico should become the Gulf of America—despite having no power to unilaterally impose such a change internationally.
What To Know
The large body of water that borders Mexico, the United States and Cuba has been called the Gulf of Mexico for more than 400 years, long before the U.S. existed as a country. There is no clear international law that mandates the naming of bodies of water.
An attempt to change the name internationally could come under the purview of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), the group that oversees charting of water bodies around the world.
While the U.S. and Mexico are among the 100 IHO member states, Trump does not and will not have the power to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico by himself in any sense that would automatically be recognized across borders.
During a Senate floor speech on Wednesday, Schumer mocked Trump's proposal before suggesting that he would be willing to help push through legislation that would change the name of the gulf at the federal level—despite likely having no effect on the name used globally.
"Donald Trump throws out a lot of strange and rather random ideas on a regular basis, he did it yesterday when suggesting that we rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America," Schumer said while chuckling.
"Well, let me say this: I'd agree to working with Donald Trump on renaming the Gulf of Mexico only if he first agrees to work with us on an actual plan on lowering costs for Americans," he added. "That's what the American people want us to focus on first, not on renaming bodies of water."
Schumer went on to say that Trump was "in over his head" and was using the renaming proposal as a way to "distract America with crazy ideas" that will not "help people save money at the grocery store" or "make trips to the pharmacy more affordable."
"Donald Trump says these things because it will get him attention and make him sound like a tough guy," Schumer continued. "If Donald Trump wants to rename an ocean to sound more patriotic, I'd say we'll help him on one condition and only on one condition: Let's come up with a real plan first, not a concept of a plan, to lower prices for Americans."
Newsweek reached out for comment to Trump's office via email on Wednesday night.
What People Are Saying
Trump, while making the proposal at a news conference Tuesday: "We'll be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring ... That covers a lot of territory ... The Gulf of America. What a beautiful name. It is appropriate. It's appropriate. And Mexico has to stop allowing millions of people to pour into our country."
Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, in a post to X, formerly Twitter: "President Trump's second term is off to a GREAT start. I'll be introducing legislation ASAP to officially change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to its rightful name, the Gulf of America!"
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, responding to Trump's proposal by suggesting on Wednesday that the U.S. should be renamed "Mexican America"—a moniker that was used for North America on some early maps: "Mexican America, that sounds nice ... The fact is that Mexican America is recognized since the 17th century ... as the name for the whole northern part of the (American) continent."
What Happens Next
Trump, aided by fiercely loyal GOP lawmakers like Greene, may decide to push forward with his plan to rename the Gulf of Mexico after taking office later this month, even if other countries ignore the move.
The president-elect had not responded to Schumer's proposal to work together on any plan to "lower prices for Americans" at the time of publication.
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