By Reanna Fogelman
President Donald Trump aimed to make his intentions a reality in hopes of restoring the strength and glory of our country. His dreams came true after he was elected president.
The name change to “Gulf of America” took place as a symbol of the strength and legacy of our nation. The president presented this decision as a brave attempt to bring Americans together with a common national identity, showing his determination to respect the country’s history and practices.
The Gulf is a body of water on the West side of the United States of America. On Monday, Feb. 10, President Trump implemented this issue through an executive order the day he came into office.
Google Maps now displays “Gulf Of America” when it used to display “Gulf of Mexico.” Following a little behind, Apple Maps is now showing this same name on iPhones. This appeared on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
Before Trump became president again for his second term, he announced plans to make this official. Once he became president, his wish was granted to honor our nation.
“Only users in the United States will see Gulf of America, [Google] said,” a New York Times article said. “Users in Mexico will continue to see Gulf of Mexico, while people in the rest of the world will see both names, with Gulf of Mexico appearing first, followed by Gulf of America in parentheses.”
Users in different parts of the world are experiencing a different name depending on the specific region or area that they live in.
“When Mr. Trump signed the order last month, Google confirmed that it would update its maps to reflect the change as soon as the U.S. government updated the name on its official maps,” wrote The New York Times reporter Yan Zhuang.
In an announcement on Jan. 23, AP stated they will continue to refer to the Gulf by its original name while acknowledging the new one.
On Tuesday, Feb. 11, an Associated Press reporter was barred from an event in the Oval Office.
“The reporter, whom the AP would not identify, tried to enter the White House event as usual Tuesday afternoon and was turned away,” wrote David Bauder, reporter for The Associated Press. “Later, a second AP reporter was barred from a late-evening event in the White House’s Diplomatic Reception Room.”
“The highly unusual ban, which Trump administration officials had threatened earlier Tuesday unless the AP changed the style on the Gulf, could have constitutional free-speech implications,” wrote Bauder.
Julie Pace, executive editor and senior vice president of AP, called the administration’s action intolerable.
“It is alarming that the Trump administration would punish AP for its independent journalism,” said Pace in a statement. “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.”
There isn’t an issue with Trump making this decision. With him changing the Gulf’s name as the president, it strengthens our society as a whole.
However, it could be bad for journalists. If journalists continue to use the Gulf’s former name, it has the possibility of disrupting their credibility in reporting. The Associated Press stood against the decision, but using the old name would not be suitable anymore.
Though, standing against government pressure could boost the public’s view of AP.
The Trump administration did not announce these actions right away, and there was no proof that any other journalists were impacted.
Trump and the media have long maintained a toxic relationship.
“As a global news agency that disseminates news around the world, the AP says it must ensure that place names and geography are easily recognizable to all audiences,” wrote Bauder.
An article published by NBC Chicago stated, “His executive order titled ‘Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness’ also renamed Denali, North America’s tallest peak, to Mount McKinley, and was one of the first actions he took upon returning to the Oval Office early in his presidency.”
“The name change has been observed by Google and several other companies, but has been met with resistance by several other countries, including Mexico and the United Kingdom,” according to the article.
Trump claimed that the Gulf should be named after the United States because it plays a “pivotal role” in American security and economic development.
“The Gulf will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping America’s future and the global economy,” according to Trump’s executive order. “and in recognition of this flourishing economic resource and its critical importance to our Nation’s economy and its people, I am directing that it officially be renamed the Gulf of America.”
“As my Administration restores American pride in the history of American greatness, it is fitting and appropriate for our great Nation to come together and commemorate this momentous occasion and the renaming of the Gulf of America,” Trump said after declaring Gulf of America Day on Feb. 9.
Trump wanted to restore the nation and greatness of our country by changing the Gulf’s name in America.
His administration’s dedication to respecting the country’s history and tradition became more evident when he presented this executive order as a means to preserve American patriotism.
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Photo courtesy of Reanna Fogelman.