President Donald Trump has found something else he seems to want to slap his name on: The Strait of Hormuz. The 79-year-old president reshared what appeared to be an AI-generated map on Truth Social Wednesday night, showing the shipping route between Iran and Oman labeled as the “Strait of Trump.”
Oil Crisis and Rising Prices
The vital route typically sees over 20 million barrels of petroleum and crude oil — roughly 25 percent of the world's maritime oil trade — pass through each day. However, amid Trump's war with Iran, the passageway has largely been closed off, prompting a global oil shortage and the price of Brent crude oil to surge past $125 a barrel on Thursday. That has resulted in an average gas price across the U.S. of $4.30 a gallon on Wednesday, according to AAA.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a frequent troll of Trump, mocked the idea on X, writing, “Crude oil is now at $120/barrel and climbing. Americans are paying higher and higher prices. Why won't President Trump open the Strait of Trump!?”
Trump's Previous Remarks
The president did not explicitly say he wants to rename the vital passageway after himself. Still, in comments made in March, he seemed to deliberately refer to the passageway as the “Strait of Trump.” “They have to open it up. They have to open up the Strait of Trump. I mean, Hormuz,” he said. “Excuse me, I'm so sorry. Such a terrible mistake.”
“Fake News will say 'he accidentally said.' No. There's no accidents with me, not too many. If there were, we'd have a major story,” he added.
A Pattern of Naming
The president is known to have a penchant for putting his name on whatever he can. Before taking office, Trump put his name on real estate, golf courses, vodka, steaks, bottled water — and even his own university. Since the start of his second term, Trump has put his name on numerous government properties, including the Kennedy Center and the U.S. Institute of Peace. He has also added his name to money, monuments and military equipment, and has plans to build “Trump-Class Battleships.”
In January, Trump floated the idea that Congress would rename both New York's Penn Station and Washington's Dulles International Airport after him. This month, Florida lawmakers passed a bill that would rename Palm Beach International Airport after Trump, costing a whopping $5.5 million. There is also a planned limited-run U.S. passport featuring a portrait of Trump, along with the Declaration of Independence, ahead of the country's 250th anniversary.
Similarly, last fall, national park passes were redesigned to include a portrait of Trump alongside George Washington. The passes, which stood in place of the National Park Service's usual landscape images, triggered a lawsuit and a social media movement to put stickers over Trump's face.
The president's signature will also reportedly be featured on U.S. paper currency to mark the country's 250th birthday. It would be the first time in 165 years that a sitting president's name appeared on American currency. Trump has also added his name to numerous government programs, including TrumpRx, a government-run website allowing Americans to access lower-priced prescription drugs. The administration also created Trump Accounts under the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Trump Accounts are investment accounts for American children born between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028, featuring a $1,000 federal contribution.
