Donald Trump has suggested renaming the Strait of Hormuz after himself, adding a new twist to his repeated claims that the strategically important waterway is now under US control.
But can a US president actually rename an international waterway? And how much does a name change really say about who controls it?
Trump Strait? The President Has a New Name in Mind
On Wednesday, September 2, Trump suggested renaming the Strait of Hormuz “Trump Strait,” writing on Truth Social: “Now that we have it under U.S.A. control, should we change the name Hormuz Strait to TRUMP STRAIT???”
The White House later appeared to embrace the idea, posting a map labelling the waterway “Trump Strait” with the caption: “It’s got a nice ring to it.”
The suggestion came as the US and Iran exchanged another round of attacks, with the Strait once again at the center of their wider confrontation.
But while Trump says the US has control of the waterway, shipping traffic remains well below normal levels, with continued attacks and security concerns affecting commercial vessels.
Trump Has Been Calling Hormuz “American” for Months
The “Trump Strait” idea did not come out of nowhere.
In March, Trump jokingly referred to the waterway as the “Strait of Trump” before correcting himself and saying he meant Hormuz.
Then, in August, his comments became more serious.
Trump said he would “pretty soon” declare the Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory. He later said, “I view the Strait of Hormuz as an American territory right now,” and shared a map presenting it as a “NEW U.S. Territory.”
So Wednesday’s post was less a new claim than an escalation of one Trump has been making for months: that the US has effectively taken control of the Strait.
Why Hormuz Matters
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman, connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the wider Indian Ocean.
It is also one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints. Before the current war, roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies passed through the Strait.
That makes Trump’s claims of US control particularly significant — especially because the situation on the water tells a more complicated story.
The renewed US-Iran fighting has disrupted shipping and pushed oil prices higher, while recent data showed traffic through the Strait well below normal levels. Iran continues to assert control over the waterway, and shipping companies remain cautious about operating there.
The conflict itself is a much larger story, but the key point here is simple: the Strait remains contested, and commercial traffic has been affected.
Can Trump Actually Rename the Strait?
Not internationally.
Trump can direct the US government to use a particular name in its own documents, maps and communications. But the Strait of Hormuz is not a US geographical feature, so the president cannot simply rename it for the rest of the world.
The Strait is bordered by Iran and Oman, whose waters are governed by international maritime law. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea also establishes navigation rights through international straits.
In practice, Trump could change the name used by the US government, but he cannot unilaterally rename the internationally recognized waterway.
Iran would not have to adopt the name. Oman would not have to adopt it. Other governments, international organizations, shipping companies and mapmakers would not be required to use it either.
And that distinction matters: military or operational control is not the same as sovereignty.
Trump Has Renamed Other Places Too
The idea of “Trump Strait” fits into a broader pattern. Trump has increasingly used geographical renaming as a way to make political statements about American power and national identity.
Lake Ontario → Lake America
Just days before the Trump Strait proposal, Trump also directed the US government to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America.” It’s even changed on google maps in America.
The lake is shared by the United States and Canada, meaning Washington can change its own federal terminology but cannot compel Canada to do the same.
Canadian officials continue to use Lake Ontario.
What Does “Trump Strait” Actually Say About US Control?
Trump has repeatedly described the waterway as effectively under US control, pointing to American military operations to protect commercial shipping and keep the Strait open.
But the situation on the water remains more complicated. Traffic is still far below pre-war levels, while attacks and military activity continue around the Strait. The US may have significant military capabilities in the area, but that does not mean Washington has acquired sovereignty over the waterway.
That distinction is important because calling it “Trump Strait” would not change who legally controls it. The name is less about changing the Strait’s legal status and more about projecting American power.
The timing makes that message particularly clear. Trump is proposing the name while the US and Iran continue to contest control of the waterway and international shipping remains disrupted.
In that sense, “Trump Strait” fits into his broader use of geographical renaming as a political statement: the name reinforces his claim that the US is in charge of one of the world’s most important trade routes, even as the situation on the ground remains contested.
Whether the rest of the world agrees is another question.
For Now, It’s Still the Strait of Hormuz
For all of Trump’s talk of American territory and a possible “Trump Strait,” the internationally recognized name remains the Strait of Hormuz.
The US can choose what it calls the waterway in its own official materials, just as it has done with the Gulf of America and Lake America. But it cannot impose that name on Iran, Oman or the international community.
And while Trump says the US has the Strait under control, the continued disruption to shipping and renewed hostilities show that the situation remains far more complicated.
For now, “Trump Strait” is a political proposal, not a new international name.
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