Donald Trump has found a new place on the map that, in his opinion, needs a different name. The American president suggests that the Strait of Hormuz should be renamed „Trump Strait,” arguing that the United States now controls the strategic maritime route.
„Now that it is under the control of the USA, should we change the name from the Strait of Hormuz to TRUMP STRAIT???”, Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday.
The American president continued in the same tone: "Just like America itself, it would be hotter than ever!", after which he concluded his message with the phrase he frequently uses in his posts: "Thank you for your attention to this matter."
The proposal comes at a highly tense moment in the region. The Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important maritime routes for global oil and gas transportation, is at the center of the confrontation between the US and Iran.
Trump repeatedly claims that the United States has taken control of the strait. On Tuesday evening, he stated that Washington has "almost total" control over it, while Iran's economy is collapsing.
However, the situation on the ground is more complicated. Naval traffic remains well below pre-war levels, and Iran continues to threaten and attack ships in the area. The Associated Press notes that the strait remains largely closed despite American operations.
This is not the first renaming
The idea of the "Trump Strait" comes just a few days after the American president signed an order requiring the federal administration to use the name "Lake America" for Lake Ontario, located on the border between the US and Canada.
Trump already has a history of geographical changes. At the beginning of his current term, he changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" for official use by the American administration.
However, this time there is a not-so-minor difference: the Strait of Hormuz is thousands of kilometers away from the United States and is bordered by Iran and Oman. The American press also points out that Trump's claim that the US controls the strait is disputed by Iran.