‘Trump Ocean’ on the map? US president jokes about renaming Atlantic or Pacific

Trump turns to the oceans, jokes about renaming Atlantic or Pacific

US President Donald Trump joked about renaming the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean as “Trump Ocean” or “Ocean of the Americas” during a campaign rally in Clarksville, Tennessee, on Saturday.Referring to the earlier renaming of the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, Trump said the United States needed an ocean and a major river to rename.“So we’ve got the Gulf, we’ve got a beautiful lake,” Trump said. “So we need a river, we need an ocean, so I was thinking of either the Atlantic or the Pacific, we'd call it Trump Ocean or Ocean of the Americas, something like that.”

Last year, Trump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. However, the order applies only within the United States and does not require Mexico or other countries and international bodies to recognise the change.The Gulf of Mexico has been known by that name for more than 400 years. Historical records indicate that the water body was previously referred to as the “Mexican Bay” (Seno Mexicano) until the early 19th century. Spanish explorers later named it the Gulf of Mexico, reflecting the country's extensive coastline.Trump also signed an executive order to restore the name Mount McKinley to North America's tallest peak, Denali, in Alaska. Former President Barack Obama officially changed the mountain's name to Denali in 2015 to reflect Alaska Native traditions and the preference of many Alaska residents.Explaining the decision, Trump said he wanted to “restore the name of a great president, William McKinley, to Mount McKinley.”