Washington, Sept 5:
US President Donald Trump has dismissed suggestions that he intended to rename the strategically important Strait of Hormuz after himself, saying the idea was merely something that had been “thrown out there”.
Trump was asked about the proposal after he floated the possibility of calling the waterway “TRUMP STRAIT” in a post on his Truth Social platform.
The remark came less than a week after Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario “Lake America”, amid escalating tensions with Canada over tariff disputes.
“Now that we have it under USA control, should we change the name Hormuz Strait to TRUMP STRAIT???” Trump had posted.
Asked on Wednesday whether he seriously intended to rename the Strait of Hormuz, Trump replied: “No, no … it was just thrown out there.”
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints, through which a substantial share of global oil supplies passes. Any disruption to shipping through the waterway can have immediate consequences for international energy prices and markets.
Trump’s comments came amid heightened tensions involving the United States and Iran, with attacks on commercial shipping and retaliatory strikes raising concerns over the security of vital maritime routes.
The episode has nevertheless drawn attention to Trump’s willingness to use symbolic renaming proposals as part of his broader political messaging.