Trump considers renaming Strait of Hormuz after either America or himself — once he evicts Iran
Washington — After asserting control over the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump is weighing whether the strategic waterway could receive a new name once the conflict surrounding it is resolved.
Administration officials say Trump has become increasingly frustrated with the limited support from international allies in efforts to reopen the strait, a vital passage for global energy shipments. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil exports typically move through the narrow route along Iran’s southern coast. Iran’s actions in the region have severely disrupted that flow, sending oil prices sharply higher.
According to a senior administration official, the president is determined to restore safe passage through the waterway and prevent Iran from using it as leverage in the future.
“We are taking the strait back,” the official said. “It’s guaranteed, and they will never blackmail us over it again.”
Trump believes that if the United States ultimately secures and protects the shipping route, the name of the strait should reflect that role. Among the ideas discussed inside the administration are renaming it the “Strait of America.” The president has also joked about naming it after himself.
During remarks Friday evening at a Saudi investment forum in Miami, Trump referenced the possibility while speaking about reopening the shipping lane.
“They have to open the Strait of Trump — I mean Hormuz,” he said before correcting himself. Trump added that the slip was not accidental and that critics in the media would likely portray it that way.
The current name traces back centuries. It is tied to the medieval Kingdom of Hormuz, whose name may have come from the Persian phrase “Hur-Mogh,” meaning “place of dates,” or from Ahura Mazda, a Zoroastrian deity associated with light. The former emirate controlled Hormuz Island, a small salt-dome island near the mouth of the Persian Gulf, and historically dominated trade moving through the passage. In the 1500s it became a dependency of the Portuguese maritime empire.
Discussion of renaming the strait gained unexpected attention earlier this month when an altered image circulated online showing a map labeled “Strait of America.” The image was widely shared by conservative influencer Benny Johnson, who urged supporters to back the idea. The post drew thousands of comments and tens of thousands of reactions from people who believed it depicted an authentic social media post from the president.
However, the map did not originate from Trump’s official accounts. One White House official described the proposal as “not real… for now,” while another characterized it as an “interesting idea” but said it was not currently being formally considered.
A name change would follow other high-profile rebranding efforts associated with Trump. Last year the administration redesignated the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. Trump’s name has also been added to the facade of the U.S. Institute of Peace and to the performing arts complex along the Potomac now known as the Trump-Kennedy Center.
Reaction among Trump supporters has been mixed. Some view the proposal as a natural extension of American leadership in securing the region, while others believe the focus on renaming places could become a distraction.
Administration officials say the primary objective remains reopening the strait. Its closure has driven oil prices up by more than 50 percent, creating economic pressure worldwide.
“We’re doing this for the benefit of the world,” a senior official said.
At the same time, the United States continues diplomatic outreach to Iran, though progress has been limited. A source familiar with mediation efforts described current discussions as preliminary conversations about possible negotiations.
Over the past two weeks, Trump has pressed allies from NATO countries to partners in East Asia to contribute ships to a large multinational naval presence aimed at reopening the waterway. Some countries have hesitated, drawing criticism from the president.
The United States has already deployed thousands of Marines, sailors and Army airborne troops to the region as a contingency if military action becomes necessary. Possible operations under consideration include seizing islands in the strait or targeting Iran’s Kharg Island, the port through which roughly 90 percent of the country’s oil exports pass.
Such an operation would mark the first U.S. ground assault since the conflict began on February 28, when American and Israeli forces launched a campaign aimed at dismantling Tehran’s nuclear program and weakening its military capabilities.
Trump has said he prefers to avoid a ground invasion and has instead warned that Iranian electrical infrastructure could be targeted if the strait is not reopened by April 6.
Earlier in the conflict, the president suggested the war could last about four weeks. That timeframe is now expiring, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio told G7 leaders on Friday the fighting could continue another two to four weeks.
Some officials acknowledge the situation remains complicated.
“There aren’t many good options,” one administration official said, adding that disagreements have begun to emerge inside government circles. According to that official, some figures have criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while others have questioned whether the Pentagon adequately prepared for the possibility that Iran might attempt to close the strait.
Iran responded this week to a 15-point American peace proposal with its own conditions, demanding an end to hostilities, compensation for damage caused during the war, and formal recognition of its claim over the strait.
Joel Rayburn, a retired U.S. Army colonel and former diplomat, said the passage represents one of Iran’s last remaining ways to influence the global economy.
“If Iran keeps control of the strait, they will present it as a victory and preserve their leverage,” Rayburn said. “The United States cannot allow them to retain the ability to disrupt global energy markets after everything that has happened.”
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