Google designates the US as a 'sensitive country' along with China and Russia, due to President Trump's renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America

On January 27, 2025, Google added the United States to its list of 'sensitive countries,' which also includes China, Russia, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. The decision was made in response to President Donald Trump's decision to rename the 'Gulf of Mexico' in the southern United States to the 'Gulf of America.'

Google reclassifies US as 'sensitive country' like China, Russia

Google classifies a country as a 'sensitive country' if some of the names within that country are different from other countries. So far, countries that have border disputes with neighboring countries, such as China, Russia, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq, have been added to the list of 'sensitive countries.'

On January 27, 2025, Google designated the United States as a 'sensitive country.' Under President Trump, who took office on January 20, 2025, the United States has decided to rename the waters between the Yucatan Peninsula and the Florida Peninsula from the 'Gulf of Mexico' to the 'Gulf of America,' and to revert Denali (6,190 m above sea level), the highest peak in North America, to its former name, 'Mount McKinley.'

Google, which has a practice of applying name changes to Google Maps when official government names are changed, has updated its maps to reflect these name changes in the U.S. The 'Gulf of Mexico' on Google Maps has been renamed to 'Gulf of the United States.'

'Gulf of Mexico' to become 'Gulf of America' on Google Maps - GIGAZINE

According to the internal documents, some employees in the Google Maps division were ordered to urgently change the names of the affected areas and classify the United States as a 'sensitive country. ' These tasks were also designated as the highest priority 'P0,' and employees who were working on other tasks were instructed to immediately stop their work and work on the affected tasks.

Google has said that when official names differ between countries, Google Maps users will see the official name in the user's country, and users in other countries will see both names. Google said it will do the same for the Bay of America and McKinley.

Also longstanding practice: When official names vary between countries, Maps users see their official local name. Everyone in the rest of the world sees both names. That applies here too.

— News from Google (@NewsFromGoogle) January 27, 2025

It is also unclear whether Google's designation of the United States as a 'sensitive country' will have an impact on other divisions beyond Google Maps.