The National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico in Mobile Alabama finds itself in a state of uncertainty because former President Donald Trump made the contested decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico as “Gulf of America.” The one-of-a-kind historical and cultural facility devoted to Gulf-related subjects required substantial financial investment to create new branding elements for its distinct mandate. The institution currently confronts the challenging process of undergoing another organizational name alteration.
Karen Poth currently serves as director of the museum while she shows both positive and negative feelings. The director shared her habit of laughing instead of showing any other reaction to life events. “Or else you cry.” A $100,000 budget allocated in 2024 funded the name and logo transformation and new display materials at the Gulf museum. A complete rebranding under the title “Gulf of America” demands the thorough transformation of all exhibits and printed documents and digital references at substantial cost and lengthy execution time.
The executive order Trump signed on January 20 for “honouring American greatness” has caused international disapproval. President of Mexico Claudia Sheinbaum stated that it is not possible for the United States to independently change the water body’s name since it belongs to both nations. Google updated its maps with the new name of this waterway first which has brought additional challenges to the situation. 
Throughout history the Gulf has received many different names before taking its current formal title including the Chinese Sea and Gulf of Cortés. John Sledge from the museum outlines how the Gulf exists as a shared resource because multiple nations and cultures contributed to its formation.
In anticipation of their tenth anniversary celebration in 2025 Poth continues his dedication to presenting the Gulf’s worldwide importance to the public. She states that the forthcoming name change would force a total restructuring of the whole museum establishment. The institution currently serves as a permanent display of the Gulf’s continuous historical significance although it will be renamed in the future.
