the Gulf of Mexico is about to be a great geopolitical indicator.
because nothing says 'freedom' like rewriting geography to suit one man’s whims.
Good day, spectators,
Honestly, I don’t spend too much time thinking about the Gulf of Mexico—or at least I didn’t, until it kept making its way into my newsfeed. Thanks to new emperor Donald Trump, the Gulf has become an unlikely flashpoint in the geopolitical world. Among his parade of grandiose and dangerous executive orders, Trump has—at least by US records—changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Like something out of South Park.
At first, this might seem superficial, even a bit silly or irrelevant. But when we dig a little deeper, what we see is significant.
it’s a ‘done deal’.
…until 2029 probably. The reality is, this name change will stick only if other nations agree to it. If he fails to rally international support, the next US president can quietly reverse the decision with the stroke of a pen. But if US allies adopt the new name by 2029, the ‘Gulf of America’ could become permanent.
In other words, it’s only a ‘done deal’ if Trump manages to strong-arm the rest of the world into playing along. This is not very likely considering what we have observed since Trump took office. It’s only been a couple of weeks and we're already seeing more resistance to Trump and his capriciousness than to any other president before him. Both domestically and internationally. On top of that, numerous countries have already come out to say they won’t be going along with the change—including the US’s special friend, the United Kingdom. So it’s not looking positive for Trump’s rebranding.
Watch: President Trump talks about how Palestinians should not be returning to Gaza while somebody awkwardly stands behind him with an oversized board that says ‘Gulf of America’.
the litmus test.
If Trump seriously attempts to get other nations on board (and I’m not entirely sure he will), the outcome will reveal just how much international clout he still wields. This is a big question mark, given that the White House has lost significant global influence in recent years. From the preposterous failure to impose tariffs on its closest neighbours and largest trading partners, to the botched attempt to sanction Russia in 2022—a move that backfired spectacularly and further eroded US credibility—to the humiliating withdrawal from Afghanistan, which left allies questioning America’s reliability, the American empire’s ability to project power is clearly waning.
This name change could serve as a litmus test: not just of Trump’s willingness to follow through on his bombastic promises, but of how much the world is still willing to tolerate American exceptionalism.
Google’s complicity.
Unsurprisingly, it seems Google is already bending over for Trump—kind of. In the US, Google Maps will display ‘The Gulf of America,’ while users outside the country still see the original name. In Mexico, of course, it will remain the ‘Gulf of Mexico.’ For the rest of the world, it looks like both names will appear side by side, creating a confusion for curious young minds learning geography, I am sure.
I just think it’s funny though. This dual naming system highlights something uniquely American: this creation of parallel realities that confuse people when they interact with the wider world. (Think using imperial measurements, or the fact that Americans don’t use electric kettles to boil water for tea, instead opting for…the stove?)
does it even matter?
On the surface, this might seem like just another Trumpian stunt—absurd attention-seeking and ultimately inconsequential key jingling. But trust me, it’s much more than that. It’s a power play and a reminder that Trump can and will make your life difficult if you don’t fall in line.
No one wants to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico. But when the most powerful man in the world demands it, you may just have to play along—or at least make it look like you are. That way, you avoid the wrath of his Twitter feed (or whatever platform he’s using these days) and the potential fallout for your business or country.
More seriously, I think this is about the slow chipping away of international norms, the flexing of his imperial muscle, and the absurdity of a world where one man’s whims can rewrite geography and education. It’s a reminder that, for all its talk of democracy and freedom, the US is just a nation where power is concentrated in the hands of a few—and where those few can reshape reality to suit their egos.
So, there you have it: the Gulf of Mexico is now the Gulf of America—at least in the US it is. For the normal folk amongst us, this strange move is just a reminder to stay alert and to keep calling out the spectacle for what it is.
And on that thought, I will let you go. Do let me know what you think in the comments!
(As always, thanks for reading, and please give this post a ❤️ and restack below.)
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You're 100% right it's about aggressively establishing the new normal, in other words. The US is letting mask fall and saying we run the world. If you don't like it fuck off. How the world reacts to Trump will decide how powerful the US is in the years to come
I’m a U.S. citizen, and it’s the Gulf of Mexico! I do think you’re right about the Orange man’s motives.