National Ocean Month, 2025
President Trump's 2025 proclamation designates June as National Ocean Month, emphasizing the significance of oceans to American security, the economy, and national identity.
The proclamation highlights actions taken to bolster the nation's maritime dominance, including renaming the Gulf of Mexico, revitalizing offshore critical mineral extraction, boosting domestic seafood production, and opening the Pacific Remote Islands National Monument to commercial fishing.
The President asserts these policies foster American prosperity and protect national interests.
Arguments For
Promoting Maritime Dominance: The proclamation emphasizes restoring America's maritime dominance through actions such as renaming the Gulf of Mexico and revitalizing offshore critical mineral extraction. This aims to bolster the US's economic and strategic advantage.
Economic Benefits: Opening the Pacific Remote Islands National Monument to commercial fishing and boosting domestic seafood production are cited as measures generating economic benefits for American fishermen and the seafood industry. This leverages ocean resources to stimulate economic growth.
National Security: The proclamation connects ocean resources to national security and military readiness, arguing that controlling vital sea areas and resources is crucial for maintaining national defense. This frames ocean resources as key to military strength.
Environmental Stewardship and Recreation: The proclamation acknowledges the importance of ocean conservation and recreational use, suggesting a balance between economic interests and environmental responsibility. This approach promotes sustainable utilization while supporting enjoyment of marine resources.
Arguments Against
Environmental Impact of Increased Offshore Activities: Increased offshore mineral exploitation and fishing could negatively impact marine ecosystems and biodiversity. The long-term consequences of these activities on ocean health require careful assessment.
Economic Disparities: While the proclamation emphasizes economic benefits for domestic fishermen, it doesn't address potential negative impacts on other stakeholders or the possibility of exacerbating existing economic inequalities within the fishing industry.
International Relations: Actions like renaming the Gulf of Mexico could strain US relations with other countries that share the Gulf region, and similar actions could spark controversies and diplomatic challenges.
Sustainability Concerns: While the proclamation mentions the recreational value of the oceans, it lacks specifics on sustainable practices for long term resource extraction and management. This leaves concerns about the long-term ecological balance.
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
This section formally introduces the presidential proclamation, stating it's an official statement from the President of the United States.
This National Ocean Month, my Administration recognizes the foundational role our bordering oceans have played in our treasured national story — and we pledge to harness their resources, preserve their majesty, and channel their power to safeguard American interests and uphold our way of life.
The opening paragraph acknowledges the historical significance of oceans to the US and commits to utilizing and protecting them to benefit American interests.
As President, I am steadfastly committed to restoring America’s maritime dominance — including in the realms of trade, military readiness, and resource production. For this reason, on my first day in office, I proudly renamed the largest gulf in the world to the Gulf of America, recognizing its status as a vital extension of the Atlantic Ocean and its central role in our economy, history, and national identity.
The President explains a commitment to restoring US maritime dominance, citing the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico as a key action.
This action connects the Gulf's role with economic and national identity.
To further expand American leadership at sea, I signed an Executive Order to revitalize our Nation’s dominance in offshore critical minerals and resources. Every day, we are rapidly developing our domestic capabilities for the exploration, production, and processing of critical minerals from the deep seabed that are vital to our economic and strategic advantage. In April, I signed a proclamation to open the Pacific Remote Islands National Monument to commercial fishing. As part of my America First vision, I also took action to bring back American seafood competitiveness, end trade practices that harm American fishermen, and boost domestic seafood production and exports.
The President details multiple executive actions intended to enhance American ocean leadership through offshore resource exploitation and increasing the competitiveness of domestic seafood production.
Under my leadership, we are in the midst of a new chapter of American freedom, prosperity, and strength — both within our shores and beyond our coasts.
This paragraph summarizes the overall national aims as a combination of domestic and maritime strength, framing the ocean-related actions within this context.
This National Ocean Month, my Administration renews its resolve to usher in a new and radiant golden age both at home and at sea — using our oceans and their magnificent resources to empower our citizens, defend our homeland, and preserve our glorious American sovereignty for generations to come.
The proclamation reinforces commitment to a prosperous and secure future, connecting this vision with the sustainable use of ocean resources.
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 June 2025 as National Ocean Month. This month, I call upon Americans to reflect on the value and importance of oceans not only to our security, environment, and economy but also as a source of recreation and enjoyment.
This is the formal proclamation declaring June 2025 as National Ocean Month and calling on Americans to recognize the value of the ocean and to advocate for the importance of our oceans.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of June, 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.
DONALD J. TRUMP
This section concludes the proclamation with the President's signature and the date.
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