US President Donald Trump has suggested renaming the Strait of Hormuz “Trump Strait”, in another push to attach his name to prominent geographical and national landmarks.
Trump made the proposal on Wednesday as tensions between Washington and Tehran escalated around the strategic waterway, through which a significant share of the world’s oil supplies is transported.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed that the United States was now in control of the strait and asked whether it should be renamed after him.
“Now that we have it under U.S.A. control, should we change the name Hormuz Strait to TRUMP STRAIT???” he wrote, adding that the waterway would be “hotter” than ever under the proposed name.
The White House later shared a map of the Persian Gulf on social media showing the strait labelled “Trump Strait”, accompanied by the comment: “It’s got a nice ring to it.”
Trump has repeatedly threatened in recent weeks to assert US control over the Strait of Hormuz and previously posted a map portraying the strategic waterway as a potential “new US territory”.
But the president appeared to retreat from the renaming proposal when asked about it by reporters in the Oval Office.
With a chuckle, Trump said: “It was just thrown out there.”
The president’s suggestion is consistent with his broader campaign to rename geographical and public institutions during his second term.
In January 2025, Trump ordered the Gulf of Mexico to be referred to as the “Gulf of America”, a change rejected by Mexico and Canada. He subsequently signed an order changing the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America”, while the Kennedy arts centre in Washington has also been renamed after him.
The US Treasury on Wednesday also issued $1 coins bearing Trump’s image as part of celebrations for the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Hostilities with Iran continue
Trump’s comments came as the military confrontation between the US and Iran showed no immediate signs of ending.
US forces launched fresh strikes near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, with Trump saying the attacks were prompted by Iranian attempts to lay mines in the waterway.
Iran accused the United States of killing four people at a wedding during one of the attacks and described the incident as a “war crime”.
Tehran subsequently carried out retaliatory strikes against US bases in Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain and Iraq.
The conflict has also fuelled higher fuel prices in the United States and increased political pressure on the Trump administration ahead of November’s midterm elections.
The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints, carries about one-fifth of global oil supplies.
Iran has effectively restricted passage through the waterway in response to the conflict, which began with a US-Israeli assault on Iran in late February.
Trump, meanwhile, said Washington remained ready to strike Iran again.
“It was a very heavy attack last night, and we’re prepared to do another one any time we want,” he told reporters, while indicating that a renewed campaign would not last “too long.”
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