Trump’s Energy Nationalism: Renaming the Gulf of Mexico and Reversing Offshore Drilling Restrictions

President-elect Donald Trump is doubling down on energy nationalism with bold plans to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” and reverse President Biden’s recent restrictions on offshore drilling.

During a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump announced, “We’re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring. The Gulf of America, what a beautiful name.” This proposed name change would impact one of North America’s most significant bodies of water, with coastlines shared between Mexico and the United States.

Trump’s energy nationalism agenda is not new. In his previous term, he coined the term “freedom gas” to promote U.S. liquefied natural gas exports as symbols of American freedom. This rhetoric was part of his administration’s push for “energy dominance” in global markets.

Furthermore, Trump criticized the Biden administration’s recent decision to ban new oil and gas leasing in significant federal waters. He vowed to reverse this ban, stating, “Banning offshore drilling will not stand. I will revoke it immediately and open up vast areas for oil and gas exploration on day one of my administration.”

The Gulf of Mexico plays a crucial role in U.S. energy production, accounting for a significant portion of the country’s oil and gas output. It is responsible for 97% of all U.S. Outer Continental Shelf production, including 14% of total U.S. crude oil production and 5% of natural gas production, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Trump’s plans to rename the Gulf of Mexico and reverse offshore drilling restrictions are set to take effect upon his inauguration on January 20th.