Just days after President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America," Florida Republicans are proposing legislation to do the same in their own state.
St. Petersburg Republican Senator Nick DiCeglie filed his 70-page bill Tuesday to update all "Gulf of Mexico" references in Florida state law.
This comes two days after Trump declared February 9 as ‘Gulf of America Day’.
He made the announcement as he traveled over the Gulf in Air Force One. Footage released by Trump's adviser Margo Martin shows the president ready to sign the proclamation.
🔊"Air Force One is currently in international waters, the first time in history flying over the recently renamed Gulf of America." 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/XHXXrvtYzf
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 9, 2025
“We are flying right over it right now,” Trump said. “So we thought this would be appropriate, even bigger than the Super Bowl, this is a big thing.”
The Florida Legislature will consider DiCeglie’s proposal next month once session begins. If passed, 50 Florida statutes, including boundary line definitions for 11 different coastal counties would be impacted.