White House responds to John Mellencamp criticizing ‘Gulf of America’ name change

In The Know White House responds to John Mellencamp criticizing ‘Gulf of America’ name change Comments: by Michael Bartiromo - 07/28/26 3:09 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Michael Bartiromo - 07/28/26 3:09 PM ET Comments: Link copied

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(NEXSTAR) – A representative of the White House has responded to John Mellencamp’s recent remarks about President Trump directing federal agencies to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.”

Mellencamp, who references the Gulf of Mexico in the lyrics of his song “Pink Houses,” criticized the change during at least two recent performances on his “Dancing Words Tour.” Footage from concerts in New York and New Jersey show Mellencamp briefly breaking from the song’s third verse to share his thoughts with the audience.

“Wait a minute. The Gulf of Mexico? Is that right? It’s not the Gulf of America?” Mellencamp mockingly asked the crowd at his show in Holmdel, New Jersey, on July 25. He then adds, “What a stupid f—ing idea that is.”

Another recent video shows Mellencamp, 74, pausing during “Pink Houses” to remark, “Wait a minute. Is it really still the Gulf of Mexico? They changed the name of it but I’m not buying it… That’s just not right.”

When reached, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle responded to Mellencamp’s remarks in a statement provided to The Hill.

“Nobody in their right mind cares what out-of-touch, woke Hollywood celebrities have to say,” Ingle said.

John Mellencamp performs at Acrisure Amphitheater on July 10, 2026, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (Scott Legato/Getty Images for Live Nation)

Mellencamp, who has reportedly resided in Bloomington, Ind., since the 1970s, has previously distanced himself from Trump and his policies. In 2017, Mellencamp indicated on MSNBC (now MS Now) that Trump was “the worst president ever,” though he didn’t use Trump’s name explicitly. The same year, he also told Katie Couric he would not have performed at Trump’s inauguration if asked, despite performing at President Barack Obama’s inauguration celebration in 2009.

During his MSNBC interview, however, he claimed not to trust any politicians.

“I trust no politicians. None. Democrat, Republican, Independent — they all have an agenda,” he said.

Trump had first signed an executive order directing federal agencies to use the name “Gulf of America” when referring to the Atlantic ocean basin long known as the Gulf of Mexico. The House later passed a bill to codify the name change, though a vote has not been taken up by Senate yet.

Democrats largely opposed the name change, as did some moderate Republicans, in part because they viewed it as a frivolous use of time and resources. But proponents argued that the move would instill a sense of American pride.

“Names matter,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said on the House floor in May 2025. “Parents take a lot of time when they think about what to name a child that they’re happy to welcome in the world because they have pride and they’re to welcome their new baby into the world, and that’s why they take pride in the name that they name their child.”

Mallory Wilson contributed to this article.

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