Editor’s Note: this article offers information on the recent decisions and announcement made by the United States Government and President Trump regarding the actual and proposed expansion of America’s coastlines and overall area. It is not a political statement or endorsement; the following is for informational purposes only.

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Open water swimming is a sport where coastlines and waterways are at the core of the sport. Over the last few weeks, the new President of the United States has made numerous decisions and proclamations that have both pleased his supporters and shocked others around the world.

Will America expand its land mass and coastlines?

Background

The United States has recently either proposed or realized an expansion of its coastlines and overall area. This includes the following:

• Extension of its maritime boundaries in the Arctic Sea, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific Ocean, and Bering Sea.
• The proposed acquisition of Greenland.
• The proposed acquisition of the Panama Canal.
• The proposed acquisition of Gaza Strip.
• The proposed annexation of Canada.
• The renaming of the Gulf of Mexico.

Extension of Continental Shelf Boundaries

In January 2024, the U.S. officially expanded its geographical territory by 1 million square kilometers (386,000 square miles), a massive expansion made possible by redefining its continental shelf boundaries. That is, the U.S. claimed additional ocean-floor territory in the Arctic Sea, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific Ocean, and Bering Sea.

The continental shelf is the seabed area that surrounds landmasses. For 20 years, the U.S. State Department, NOAA, and the U.S. Geological Survey were on a mission to gather comprehensive geological data to determine the outer limits of the U.S. continental shelf. As a result of their findings, the U.S. significantly expanded its boundaries, further than previously recognized.  This decision did not extend U.S. jurisdiction over the water or fishing rights beyond the established 200 miles off its coast, but it does enable control over the seabed and its resources, including mining and research rights, as well as pipeline activities.

The Extended Continental Shelf is plentiful in oil, gas, and minerals. Claiming rights over these resources is a boon for economic development.

The continental shelf off the coast of Los Angeles is shown below [from the USGS Pacific Sea-Floor Mapping Project].

Greenland

Greenland is the world’s largest island, located between the Arctic Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. It is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. Although it has been politically and culturally associated with Norway and Denmark for more than a millennium, beginning in 986, it was granted home rule in 1979.

With the melting of ice, Greenland’s abundance of mineral wealth and its strategic position between Europe, North America and the Arctic zone, Greenland is of strategic, economic, and military interest to the U.S. 

Five days after being inaugurated for the second time as the 47th president of the U.S., President Trump reiterated his earlier desire to gain control of Greenland. President Trump initially expressed his desire to buy Greenland during his first term in 2019. He cancelled his planned visit to Denmark in August 2019 when Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen dismissed his proposed purchase land deal and described it as absurd.

While President Trump acknowledged that the Prime Minister Frederiksen had no interest in discussing the purchase of Greenland, he subsequently and recently said that U.S. acquisition and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity for international security. On January 26th, he told reporters on Air Force One, “I think we’re going to have it. I don’t know really what claim Denmark has to it. But it would be a very unfriendly act if they didn’t allow that to happen because it’s for protection of the free world. It’s not for us, it’s for the free world.”

Throughout Trump’s presidential campaign and posted on his Truth Social, he wrote:

• For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.
• Greenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation.
• This is a deal that must happen. MAGA. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN! [see here]

President Trump has also declined to rule out using military or economic coercion to gain control of Greenland [and the Panama Canal] based on his long-held position that both territories are needed for American national and economic security.

Panama Canal

Trump declined to rule out using military or economic coercion to gain control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, arguing both are needed for national and economic security.

But during his inauguration speech on January 20th, he said, “China is operating the Panama Canal. And we didn’t give it to China, we gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back.”

On February 2nd, U.S, Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino in Panama and said the U.S. would take action if Panama didn’t end China’s influence, a simmering issue with the new Trump administration.

Gaza Strip

On February 6th, President Trump posted, “The Gaza Strip would be turned over to the United States by Israel at the conclusion of fighting. The Palestinians, people like Chuck Schumer, would have already been resettled in far safer and more beautiful communities, with new and modern homes, in the region. They would actually have a chance to be happy, safe, and fre. The U.S.S., working with great development teams from all over the World, would slowly and carefully begin the consstructions of what would become one of the greatest and most spectacular developments of its kind on Earth. No soldiers by the U.S. would be needed! Stability for the region would reign!!!“

Canada

Trump also repeated his recent social media assertions that Canada should join the United States. He ruled out the use of any military force to make that happen.

“You get rid of that artificially drawn line, and you take a look at what that looks like, and it would also be much better for national security,” Trump said. “So I don’t want to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on supporting a country unless that country is a state,” the president said. “And if it is a state, the people of Canada would pay a much lower tax. Their taxes would be cut in half. They would have no military problems. They’d be much more secure in every way. And I think it’s a great thing for Canada.“

Gulf of Mexico

While the extension of U.S. maritime boundaries in the Arctic Sea, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific Ocean, and Bering Sea was approved and accepted, the proposed acquisitions of Greenland, the Panama Canal, the Gaza Strip, and Canada have not been realized and have been adamantly refuted by the heads of state of those lands.

But the issue regarding the Gulf of Mexico is a unilateral renaming to the Gulf of America, rooted in an executive order signed by President Trump on January 20th. The executive order directed the incoming Secretary of the Interior to change the name to “Gulf of America” for use on official maps and throughout the federal government.

His proclamation reads, “Today, I am very honored to recognize February 9, 2025, as the first ever Gulf of America Day.

     On January 20, 2025, I signed Executive Order 14172 (“Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness”).  Among other actions, that Executive Order required the Secretary of the Interior, acting pursuant to 43 U.S.C. 364 through 364f, to “take all appropriate actions to rename as the ‘Gulf of America’ the U.S. Continental Shelf area bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the State of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida and extending to the seaward boundary with Mexico and Cuba in the area formerly named as the Gulf of Mexico.”

     I took this action in part because, as stated in that Order, “[t]he area formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico has long been an integral asset to our once burgeoning Nation and has remained an indelible part of America.”

     Today, I am making my first visit to the Gulf of America since its renaming.  As my Administration restores American pride in the history of American greatness, it is fitting and appropriate for our great Nation to come together and commemorate this momentous occasion and the renaming of the Gulf of America.

     NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim February 9, 2025, as Gulf of America Day.  I call upon public officials and all the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this ninth day of February, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.“

Google Maps changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America for people using the app in the U.S. after it was officially updated in the U.S. Geographic Names System.

So what happens next?

The world waits as President Trump remains largely unfettered and stereotypically bold in his decisions and proclamations.

With the support of both the Senate and Congress, as well as the Supreme Court, he is also buoyed by the growth of the U.S. military recruits. According to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, “In December 2024, the U.S. Army had its best recruiting number in 12 years. In January 2025, the Army hit its best recruiting number in 15 years. BOTTOM LINE: America’s youth want to serve under the bold & strong “America First” leadership of @realDonaldTrump.”

While his domestic supporters are enthusiastic about his actions and statements, there remains much international pushback from heads of states and citizens living elsewhere.

Thought Experiment

At some level within the White House based on these announcements, I wonder if certain questions are being considered and analyzed?

• How much would it cost the U.S. government to annex Canada,purchase Greenland, or take over the Panama Canal and the Gaza Strip?
• If Canada becomes the 51st state of the United States, what happens with the provincial and territorial names used in Canada since 1867 [British Columbia, Yukon, Alberta, Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador shown below]?
• At the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, will Canadian athletes compete under the American flag and qualify via the U.S. Olympic Trials for each sport?
• Will the Danish passport of Greenlanders still be recognized outside of the U.S.?
• Will Canadians, Greenlanders, Panamanians, and Palestinians from Gaza be able to use driver’s licenses to visit the U.S. and travel without visas inside the U.S. (as American citizens can do)?
• If any of President Trump’s wishes and plans are realized, what additional countries are also being considered?
• What is going to happen politically during the 2026 FIFA World Cup next June when the tournament is held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico?

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