"Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness." (01,20,25)

What is this?

Executive Order 14172, titled "Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness", is a presidential order signed by President Trump on January 20, 2025, that directs all federal agencies to rename two major geographic features. The Gulf of Mexico becomes the "Gulf of America" and Denali reverts to "Mount McKinley," which was its official federal designation from 1917 to 2015. The order also establishes procedures for updating the United States Board on Geographic Names to implement these changes across federal documentation and maps. While the order only binds federal agencies and doesn't require state governments or private companies to comply, several major online mapping platforms, U.S.-based media outlets, and Republican-led state governments have voluntarily adopted the new names.

What is in it for us?

The geographic renaming executive order has little direct impact on young adults and teens in their daily lives. Students using federal educational materials, government websites, or official maps would encounter the new names "Gulf of America" and "Mount McKinley," which could create confusion when these differ from what they see in textbooks, international media, or non-federal sources. Young people researching for school projects might need to clarify which names to use when citing different sources. On the positive side, supporters argue this could foster a stronger sense of American identity among young people by using names that explicitly reference America.

The broader effects are mostly a reach but could include increased political engagement through social media debates or memes about the name changes. Students interested in geography or government might find the naming process educational, learning about how the Board on Geographic Names operates. There's also a slight possibility that standardized tests could eventually reflect the federal naming changes, though this would likely take years.