US President Donald Trump has floated the idea of renaming the strategically important Strait of Hormuz the “Trump Strait” as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate.
Trump made the suggestion in a post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, claiming that the United States now had control of the crucial waterway.
“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!” he wrote.
The remark came amid renewed military confrontation between the United States and Iran, with the Strait of Hormuz emerging as a major flashpoint in the conflict.
The waterway, which connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, is one of the world’s most important maritime routes, carrying a substantial share of global oil supplies.
Trump has repeatedly asserted that the United States controls the strait, although Iran disputes the claim. The waterway remains contested as the two countries trade attacks in the region.
The White House appeared to play along with Trump’s proposal, with its official social media account posting a map depicting the waterway with the proposed “Trump Strait” label and describing the name as having “a nice ring to it”.
Trump’s suggestion is the latest in a series of controversial geographical renaming initiatives associated with his administration.
He previously pushed for the Gulf of Mexico to be called the “Gulf of America” and more recently ordered Lake Ontario to be referred to as “Lake America” in the United States. The changes have generated opposition outside the US.
The Strait of Hormuz, however, presents a significantly more complicated case because it is an international waterway situated between Iran and Oman.
The latest proposal also comes at a particularly tense moment. US forces carried out fresh strikes near the strait on September 1, after Trump accused Iran of attempting to deploy mines in the waterway. Iran has continued to challenge US claims over control of the strategic passage.
While Trump’s “Trump Strait” suggestion initially appeared to be a serious proposal, AFP reported that he later appeared to indicate that he had not been entirely serious about the idea.
For now, the waterway remains officially known as the Strait of Hormuz, despite Trump’s latest attempt to put his personal stamp on one of the world’s most strategically significant maritime passages.
