US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump has suggested renaming the Strait of Hormuz as “Trump Strait.”

It is the latest in a series of geographical name changes floated by Trump that assert US control. It comes after he claimed US sovereignty over the strait that Tehran has effectively shut for six months.

“Now that we have it under U.S.A. control, should we change the name Hormuz Strait to TRUMP STRAIT??? Like America itself, it would be ‘hotter’ than ever before!” Trump said on his Truth Social network.

The White House later posted a map of the Gulf on social media with the waterway marked “Trump Strait.”

“It’s got a nice ring to it,” the White House post added.

It's got a nice ring to it pic.twitter.com/Fmzc9iUu8u

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 2, 2026

The 80-year-old president’s call to unilaterally rename an international body of water after himself comes despite the fact that the six-month-old war with Iran shows no sign of ending.

Since returning to office last year, Trump has made a string of similar renaming suggestions which started out as apparent attempts to troll his adversaries, but then came to fruition.

Last week, Trump signed an order renaming Lake Ontario as “Lake America” amid a trade war with neighbouring Canada.

Google Maps and Apple maps have subsequently renamed the lake as Lake America for users based in the US.

Trump also renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” on his first day back in the White House in January 2025. Neither Mexico nor Canada have accepted the changes. 

However, Google Maps now has a “Gulf of America” label alongside the “Gulf of Mexico” name.

Google Maps Google Maps

Trump additionally reverted the name of Denali, North America’s highest peak, to its former moniker Mount McKinley.

The suggestion of renaming the strait could be a fresh distraction from the Iran war, which has flared up again in recent days.

US forces launched fresh strikes near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday in response to what Trump said were new minelaying efforts by Iran.

Iran said one of the US strikes killed four people at a wedding, branding it a “war crime”, and launched a wave of retaliatory strikes at US bases in Jordan, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahran and Iraq.

New Trump coin

The president has also gone on a spree of renaming things after himself, including the Kennedy arts centre in Washington, a peace institute, a “Trump Gold Card” for immigration and a “Trump Rx” drug-sales website.

The US Treasury has also issued $1 coins featuring Trump’s face to mark the 250th anniversary of US independence, running counter to federal law that says no living president may appear on US currency.

A roll of 25 $1 coins was available for sale for $61 (€53) – a mark-up of 144%.  

The new coin features Trump’s face on one side, with the words “Liberty” and “In God We Trust.” It also features the dates 1776-2026, marking 250 years of US independence.

The other side of the coin features a version of the US presidential seal, depicting an eagle clutching arrows and an olive branch while covered by a shield that says “250.”

With reporting by AFP