Trump jokes about renaming Strait of Hormuz 'Trump Strait' amid ongoing clashes with Iran

Trump made the suggestion on his Truth Social network, stating, “Now that we have it under USA control, should we change the name Hormuz Strait to Trump Strait??? Like America itself, it would be ‘hotter’ than ever before!” The White House subsequently posted a map of the Gulf with the suggested name.

Trump has recently threatened to claim sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, even sharing a map depicting it as a “new US territory.” However, when asked by an AFP reporter in the Oval Office, Trump downplayed the idea, saying, “It was just thrown out there.” This follows previous instances where Trump's seemingly humorous suggestions for renaming geographical features, such as Lake Ontario to “Lake America” and the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America,” have later become official.

The Iran war remains a serious issue, with fighting flaring again after weeks of calm. US forces launched strikes near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday in response to alleged Iranian minelaying efforts. Iran reported that one US strike killed four people at a wedding, calling it a “war crime,” and retaliated with strikes on US bases in Jordan, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Iraq.

The conflict has led to a rise in US fuel costs, and Iran has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial oil transit point. Trump stated o