Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez took a jab at the geographical name changes and maps shared by U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday. This reaction came after Trump released an image where Cuba and other regions were draped with the American flag.
"At the rate they're going, the U.S. government will leave its citizens geographically confused," Rodríguez stated on X this Tuesday.
Rodríguez's message was laced with sarcasm aimed directly at the series of renamings and cartographic depictions promoted or shared by Trump.
"Soon, they won't know which gulf, lake, building, country, continent, or planet they're on," he quipped.
The statement surfaced a day after Trump posted a contentious map on Truth Social, depicting North America and the Caribbean with the U.S. flag overshadowing Cuba, Canada, Mexico, Greenland, and other regions in Central America and the Caribbean.
The image, prominently featuring the phrase "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," lacked an explanatory note and did not amount to a formal foreign policy proposal.
It also included the label "GULF OF AMERICA" for the Gulf of Mexico.
Renaming the Gulf of Mexico was among the initial moves of this nature spearheaded by Trump upon his return to the White House.
In January 2025, he directed U.S. federal agencies to adopt "Gulf of America" and later declared February 9 as "Gulf of America Day."
The trend continued in August of this year when Trump issued an executive order to rename Lake Ontario, shared by the U.S. and Canada, as "Lake America." This change began appearing for U.S. users in digital services, while Canada retained the traditional name.
Trump has also publicly toyed with the idea of renaming the Strait of Hormuz.
In April, he shared a post calling it the "Trump Strait," after previously using the term jokingly. Any potential U.S. renaming would hold no international validity.
More recently, Trump published a map hinting at changing the name of New Mexico to "New America," showcasing the word "Mexico" crossed out and "America" written instead.
This publication did not represent an official change, as renaming a state would require a legislative process that the president cannot undertake unilaterally.
Understanding Trump's Geographical Name Changes
What prompted Bruno Rodríguez's comments on Trump's maps?
Bruno Rodríguez's remarks were in response to President Trump's release of a map showing various countries, including Cuba, covered by the American flag, which was perceived as a controversial move.
Did Trump's map changes have any official standing?
No, the map changes and name alterations shared by Trump did not constitute formal policy changes and were not officially recognized on an international level.
Has Trump previously attempted to rename geographical locations?
Yes, Trump has previously suggested renaming the Gulf of Mexico to "Gulf of America" and Lake Ontario to "Lake America," along with other similar proposals.