The President of Mexico has dismissed President-elect Donald Trump’s suggestion to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America,” instead proposing that the United States be called “Mexican America.”

During a press conference in Mexico City on Wednesday, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo stood in front of a 17th-century map of North and South America.

“The Gulf of Mexico is recognized by the United Nations… but why not refer to this place as ‘Mexican America’?” she stated, indicating a region that would today be identified as the United States.

Trump, speaking at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Tuesday, mentioned his intention to rename the body of water between Miami and Cancun.

“We’re going to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America,” he declared. “Gulf of America – it’s a lovely name. And it makes sense.”

He did not provide specifics about when or how this rename would occur, saying he would detail that later.

“We’re going to make this change,” he asserted, “because we do most of the work there, and it belongs to us.”

Sheinbaum Pardo showed a 1607 map that referred to North America as “America Mexicana,” which named the Gulf of Mexico, already an important navigational reference at that time.

She also displayed a 19th-century map highlighting the vast territory that once belonged to Mexico, which encompasses areas that are now the U.S. states of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico.

The Mexican president has been at odds with Trump since the president-elect threatened to impose tariffs on Mexican goods unless Mexico took more action to curb migration toward the U.S. border.

Sheinbaum Pardo mentioned that Mexico is enforcing its borders and apprehending migrants traveling north, noting a significant decline in illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border.

“We should call it Mexican America,” she said. “It has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”