During his presidency, Donald Trump has taken steps to rename a few significant geographical features and government entities.
Most notably, upon his return to the presidency in 2025, he signed an executive order to rename:
Gulf of Mexico to "Gulf of America": This change applies to U.S. federal agencies and official documents. It has been met with mixed reactions, with some supporting it as an "America First" initiative, while other countries like Mexico have stated they will not recognize the change.
Denali to "Mount McKinley": This restores the name of North America's highest peak to Mount McKinley, reversing the 2015 decision by the Obama administration to officially recognize the traditional Native Alaskan name, Denali.
Beyond these prominent geographical changes, during his previous term (2017-2021) and current term, his administration also made some smaller name changes within government agencies and policies, often reflecting shifts in policy or ideology. Examples include:
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (BCFP).
President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition (PCFSN) to President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition (PCSFN).
Renaming of some environmental groups to remove terms like "clean energy" and "climate," such as changing "Sustainable Transport and Climate Change Team" to "Sustainable Transportation and Resilience Team."
He also advocated for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to be replaced by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
It's important to note that while executive orders can direct U.S. federal agencies to use new names, the broader adoption of these names by state governments, the private sector, and international entities varies and is not always guaranteed.
