Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded Wednesday to President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to rename the Gulf of Mexico by offering a proposal of her own: Call the U.S. “America Mexicana.”

Ms. Sheinbaum displayed a map from 1607 that shows much of the western U.S. labeled as such. The U.S. didn’t acquire the territory until the mid-19th century when it created new states following the Mexican-American War.

“We are going to call it America Mexicana. It sounds pretty, no?” Ms. Sheinbaum said at a morning press conference.

She also pointed to centuries-old references to the body of water bordering the U.S. and Mexico as the Gulf of Mexico.

Mr. Trump on Tuesday said he wanted to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. It’s part of an America First vision that includes the U.S. taking control of Greenland and the Panama Canal.

Ms. Sheinbaum also objected to claims that Mexico is run by criminal cartels.

“In Mexico, the people rule,” she said. “We are going to collaborate and understand each other with the government of President Trump. I am sure of it, defending our sovereignty as a free, independent and sovereign country.”

Her blunt response to the Gulf of Mexico situation echoes her response to Mr. Trump’s threat to impose a 25% tariff on Mexican goods unless her country cracks down on illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

Both times, Ms. Sheinbaum said she was willing to work with the U.S. on those problems, though she would like the U.S. to blunt the flow of firearms into her country.

She highlighted the harm that U.S.-imposed tariffs would cause to American autoworkers since the industry is intertwined with production sites in Mexico.

• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.