MIAMI — United States President Donald Trump humorously referred to the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz as the “Strait of Trump” during a speech at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Miami on Friday, CNBC reported.
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“Iran has to open up the Strait of Trump – I mean, Hormuz,” Trump said, drawing laughter from the audience. He followed up with a playful apology, quipping, “The 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.”
The Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil-shipping route, has become a flashpoint in the ongoing US-Iran conflict. Normally responsible for transporting around 20 million barrels of oil per day, Iran’s continued ability to block the strait has caused historic disruptions to global energy markets and spurred rising fuel prices worldwide.
Earlier this week, Trump floated the idea of jointly controlling the strait with Iranian leadership, jokingly suggesting he could negotiate directly with the Ayatollah. While Trump claims that Iran is “begging” to reach a deal, Tehran denies that any formal talks are taking place.
According to reports cited by CNBC, Trump is also reportedly considering more permanent renaming options, such as the “Strait of America,” reflecting his well-known penchant for personal branding—a trend seen previously with his attempt to relabel the Gulf of Mexico and the controversial “Trump-Kennedy Center” renaming in Washington.
The president’s remarks underscore the theatrical and media-savvy approach he continues to take in addressing the ongoing Middle East conflict, blending humor with serious geopolitical messaging.
