Google then Apple shift from Gulf of Mexico to US only... Aligning with Trump code

AP Reporter Denied White House Access
for Refusing to Change Name

Following Google, Apple also changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in its map application, Bloomberg reported on the 11th (local time).

Apple announced that it would implement the change for U.S. customers starting that day and plans to change the name for all users worldwide soon.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and head of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Donald Trump administration, is advocating for the need for large-scale civil servant layoffs and spending cuts led by the Department of Government Efficiency in the White House office on the 11th (local time). Photo by AP Yonhap News

The day before, Google had announced it would change the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America first.

This appears to be part of an effort to align with the Donald Trump administration. After Google changed the name in its map app the previous day, Republican lawmakers praised Google while criticizing Apple. Greg Steube, a Republican representative from Florida, pointed out on the social networking service Facebook that "Apple is lost at sea."

Since President Trump's election, executives of big tech companies such as Apple CEO Tim Cook and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai have shown pro-Trump actions, including visiting Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence or attending the inauguration ceremony.

In fact, there have been cases of disadvantages for not accepting the name change to "Gulf of America." On the same day, the Associated Press reported that a White House event access was denied to one of its reporters for refusing the White House's request to change the name.

At the White House that day, President Trump held a signing event for an executive order directing federal workforce reductions, accompanied by Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Julie Pace, senior vice president and editor of the Associated Press, issued a statement condemning the Trump administration's actions. She said, "It is shocking that the Trump administration is punishing AP's independent journalism," and pointed out that "restricting White House access over AP's notation seriously undermines the public's access to independent news and also violates the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of expression."