President Donald Trump proposed on Wednesday to rename the Strait of Hormuz as "Trump Strait," asserting that the United States now has control over the strategic waterway amidst escalating military tensions with Iran.
"Now that we have it under U.S. control, should we change the name of the Strait of Hormuz to TRUMP STRAIT? Just like America itself, it would be hotter than ever! Thank you for your attention to this matter," wrote Trump on Truth Social, signing the message as "President DONALD J. TRUMP."
The proposal comes amid a new military escalation between Washington and Tehran. On Sunday, U.S. forces attacked two Iranian launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, which, according to U.S. Central Command, were being prepared by members of the Revolutionary Guard to launch rockets with naval mines towards this strategic passage. On Tuesday, the United States carried out a new round of attacks against Iranian military targets, according to The Washington Post.
Trump described those attacks as "great and powerful" and stated that the U.S. Navy is escorting vessels through the strategic maritime route. However, the control to which the president refers is of a military or operational nature and does not imply that the United States has sovereignty over the strait.
Iran has pledged to respond to the U.S. attacks, making the region one of the main points of tension between Washington and Tehran.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important maritime corridors in the world. Located between Iran and the Musandam Peninsula, territory of Oman, it connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.
According to the AP agency, about 20% of the world's oil passes through this strait, so any disruption in navigation could have immediate consequences on international energy markets.
The new escalation has already prompted calls for restraint. United Nations spokesman Stéphane Dujarric described the resumption of hostilities as "very regrettable," while China demanded respect for its interests in the region. G20 finance ministers also urged to ensure "free and safe" navigation amid the risk of renewed pressures on hydrocarbon prices.
The idea of renaming the Strait of Hormuz follows a practice previously used by Trump with other geographical features.
In January 2025, he ordered U.S. federal agencies to use "Gulf of America" instead of "Gulf of Mexico". In August 2026, he signed another order to incorporate "Lake America" as the designation for Lake Ontario within the U.S. federal system.
However, a potential name change for the Strait of Hormuz by Washington would only affect the nomenclature used by the United States and would not alter its international designation nor grant U.S. sovereignty over the maritime passage located between Iran and Oman.
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