The World Reacts To Donald Trump's New Gulf Of America Day Declaration

Before heading to Super Bowl LIX, President Donald Trump had one last errand to run. While soaring high on Air Force One, Trump was busy scribbling his name on one of the big changes his presidency would bring — the paperwork to rename the "Gulf of Mexico" to the "Gulf of America." However, this executive action was overshadowed by the pomp and circumstance of the sports arena. Whether this was intentional to fly under the radar, some still took notice.

The official papers declare February 9, 2025, the first-ever "Gulf of America Day." Trump wrote, "I call upon public officials and all the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities." Well, heading to a sports arena is certainly one way to kick the day off. The US Coast Guard started using the term "Gulf of America" as soon as the ink dried from Trump's pen while en route, marking the first time it was used in an official capacity. However, this was a change Trump had been planning for a long time. Despite the Chiefs vs. Eagles showdown at the Super Bowl, the internet couldn't help but weigh in — and the reactions were decidedly mixed.

Donald Trump's presence at the Super Bowl was enough to turn heads, but the bold move he made on his way to New Orleans, Louisiana, should have sparked even more buzz. With many distracted by the sparkling lights of the Caesars Superdome and Taylor Swift's outfit, the drastic name change went under the radar, especially with the upset of the Eagles championing over the Chiefs. Still, some sharp-eyed observers couldn't help but take notice when the White House posted on its official X account, formerly known as Twitter, about the gulf's name shake-up.

Notably, former presidential candidate Marianne Williamson simply responded with, "Ugh," while another poster responded with a photo of the gulf with the title "Gulf of the Least Educated States." Elon Musk commemorated the big day by tweeting two American flag emojis, while Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene enthusiastically wished everyone a "HAPPY GULF OF AMERICA DAY!!"

 That said, none of these social media aficionados should have been surprised by Trump using the cover of a distraction to push through something that's maybe not as popular as he's been envisioning. The switch up to "Gulf of America" and making the current Super Bowl Sunday an official day of celebration is a means of burying something the president is possibly quite proud of.

Running on a campaign of quashing inflation and lowering everyday prices, President Donald Trump skated into office with some other promises trailing behind him. A major one was mass deportations, which are already underway to a devastating degree, but right behind that were more symbolic decrees — one of which is the celebration of "Gulf of America Day." The body of water that hugs up against the south-central coast of North and Central America has been called many things over the years, but Trump has been on a crusade for American manifest destiny, designating February 9 as a day to remember.

According to the New York Post, Trump made it a point to rename the gulf on January 20, the day he was inaugurated. The order he signed that day aimed to "[restore] names that honor American greatness." However, the jury is still out about how Mexican officials feel about the switch. "Interestingly I've never spoken to them about it. It was our call," Trump said. Online maps have already been updated to reflect the change, but aside from watching the Super Bowl, there is no word on what type of celebrations are to be had to commemorate the day.