WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has suggested renaming the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz as the “Trump Strait”, amid escalating tensions and renewed hostilities between the United States and Iran.
In a post on his social media platform on Wednesday, Trump asked whether the Strait of Hormuz should be renamed “Trump Strait”, claiming that the waterway was now under US control. The White House subsequently shared a map depicting the proposed name.
The proposal comes amid continuing military tensions around the strategic waterway, a key route for global energy shipments. Trump has in recent weeks repeatedly asserted US control over the strait, while Iran has maintained its own position over the crucial maritime chokepoint.
Trump has previously backed changes to geographical names. Shortly after returning to office in January 2025, he signed an executive order directing US federal agencies to use “Gulf of America” instead of “Gulf of Mexico” and restore the name “Mount McKinley” for Denali.
The latest proposal follows another recent naming controversy involving Lake Ontario, which Trump has sought to rename “Lake America” in the US.
However, a US decision to use a different name domestically does not automatically change the internationally recognised name of a geographical feature. The Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway, making any broader change in its official international usage considerably more complicated.
For now, “Trump Strait” remains a proposal floated by the US president and has not replaced the internationally recognised name, Strait of Hormuz.
