US president suggests change after claiming American control of key oil shipping route amid ongoing clashes with Iran.
US President Donald Trump has suggested renaming the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz the “Trump Strait,” claiming the waterway is now under American control as fighting with Iran continues in the region.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, Trump wrote: “Now that we have it under U.S.A. control, should we change the name Hormuz Strait to TRUMP STRAIT??? Like America itself, it would be ‘hotter’ than ever before! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
The White House amplified the idea by sharing a map of the Gulf that labelled the strait with the proposed new name, captioning the post: “It’s got a nice ring to it.”
Hours later, when asked in the Oval Office whether he was serious about the rename, Trump played down the suggestion. “It was just thrown out there,” he said with a chuckle.
Shipping Traffic Plunges in Strait of Hormuz:
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage between Iran and Oman linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the wider Indian Ocean, has long been one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints. Before the current conflict, roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade passed through it.
The proposal comes as the United States and Iran remain locked in hostilities that have severely disrupted shipping. Trump and his administration have repeatedly asserted that US forces now exercise near-total or full control over the strait. Shipping data, however, shows traffic has fallen dramatically from pre-war levels, with only a handful of vessels transiting on some days compared with more than 100 previously.
Iran has maintained its own claims over the waterway, including the use of naval mines and warnings to vessels. Recent exchanges of strikes, including US actions against Iranian targets near the strait, have kept the area highly contested.
Trump Eyes New Name for Hormuz:
The Hormuz suggestion fits a pattern in Trump’s second term of seeking to rebrand major bodies of water. He has directed US federal agencies to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” and Lake Ontario as “Lake America.” Those changes apply only to official US government usage and maps; other countries and international organisations are not bound by them, though some technology companies have updated displays for American users.
Trump has previously made light of the Hormuz name in public remarks, once jokingly calling it the “Strait of Trump” before correcting himself, and has spoken of potentially declaring the waterway US territory.
Analysts note that while a US president can instruct federal agencies on preferred geographic names through the Board on Geographic Names, such a change would have no binding international effect. Iran, Oman, other coastal states, and global shipping and mapping bodies would be free to continue using the established name.
The comments have drawn attention amid concerns over elevated energy prices linked to the disruption of Gulf oil flows and the broader regional conflict. Trump has also signalled readiness for further military action against Iran, stating the US could strike “any time we want.”