Who owns the Gulf of Mexico and can Trump rename it?
Share:
The Gulf of Mexico is a major economic center for the US, Mexico and Cuba. The nations with the most "control" over the gulf are the U.S., Mexico, and Cuba, and for years have shared the body of water. The gulf serves as an important center of economic activity, including fishing, electricity generation, and shipping.
Why does the gulf bear Mexico's name? It's actually not a reference to the modern state of Mexico, but rather to a Native American city bearing the same moniker, and it has borne that name for more than 400 years. Despite the fact that the gulf is shared by multiple nations, Trump recently said that the US does the "most work" on the gulf, and insisted that the body of water should bear America's name "because it's ours.".
While ownership is up for debate, it's true that the US has claimed control over much of the gulf. The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea determined that U.S. territorial waters expand for 12 nautical miles from its shores, and the US federal government manages the seas and the submerged parts of the Outer Continental Shelf as well.
As is typical of some of Trump's proclamations, he did not provide technical details on how he might achieve the name change, and kicked taking action on the name to "a future date pretty soon.". Trump ally Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene said she planned to introduce legislation to change the name of the gulf on Thursday.
“The American people are footing the bill to protect and secure the maritime waterways for commerce to be conducted. Our U.S. armed forces protect the area from any military threats from foreign countries,” she said in a statement. “It’s our gulf. The rightful name is the Gulf of America and it’s what the entire world should refer to it as.”.
