Mexico sues Google for ignoring repeated requests to stop renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” on its maps for U.S. users, according to Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s president. Sheinbaum didn’t specify where the lawsuit had been filed, and Google has yet to comment on the matter.
This legal action follows the recent vote by the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives to officially rename the Gulf for federal agencies. The controversy began when President Donald Trump signed an executive order on his first day in office, instructing that the body of water be renamed. Trump argued the change was justified because the U.S. “does most of the work there, and it’s ours.”
However, Sheinbaum’s government disagrees with this move, arguing that Trump’s order applies only to the U.S. section of the continental shelf. “All we want is for the decree issued by the U.S. government to be respected,” Sheinbaum said, asserting that the U.S. has no right to rename the entire gulf.
In January, Sheinbaum sent a letter to Google urging the company to reverse its decision. In February, she threatened legal action, and Google responded by defending the name change, saying it followed the practice of updating names based on official government sources. Google added that the Gulf of Mexico would still be displayed in Mexico, while users elsewhere would see the label “Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America).”
The Gulf of Mexico has been renamed on Google Maps for U.S. users, and the debate over this change has sparked ongoing tensions, including a months-long conflict between the Associated Press and the White House over the use of the new name.
Meanwhile, President Trump hinted at further changes during his upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia. He suggested the U.S. may start referring to the Persian Gulf as the “Arabian Gulf” or “Gulf of Arabia.” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi quickly responded, calling the rumors “absurd” and warning that such a move would anger many Iranians.
