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In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, President Donald Trump suggested renaming the Strait of Hormuz after himself.
The waterway that borders the western side of Iran has been a contentious factor in Trump’s unauthorized war since the start. With around 20 percent of the world’s oil being transported through the strait, the war has resulted in a stark increase in oil prices; as a result, gas prices in the U.S. have increased by around 40 percent.
In his post, Trump wrote:
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 often brags about having control of the Strait of Hormuz, making such assertions multiple times during his war on Iran. But in reality, control of the waterway is still in dispute.
Iran also continues to insist that it controls the strait. The country was accused by Saudi Arabia of attacking an oil tanker in the strait on Wednesday, and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reports daily attacks on ships — all of which suggest that the U.S. does not have the control over the Strait of Hormuz that Trump claims.
The strait becomes the latest in a string of items Trump has named or attempted to rename after himself, which have included the U.S. Institute of Peace, the “Trump-class” series of battleships, childhood investment accounts (which his administration has dubbed “Trump Accounts”), TrumpRX, and Trump Gold Cards. Most notably, Trump tried to rename the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts by adding his name to it, and in recent court filings, his administration threatened to tear down the building unless the name change is enacted. Trump has also placed his likeness on passports, National Park passes, and banners outside of federal buildings, and just this week, the U.S. Mint announced that $1 coins with his image on them would enter circulation of currency.
The kind of imagery and name changes Trump is implementing are common among fascist leaders, who rely on a “cult of personality” to push their agendas.
“Fascist regimes cultivate images of their leaders as great figures to be loved and admired,” an explainer from the Council on Foreign Relations explains.
Despite his attempts to cultivate admiration for himself, Trump’s policies and his presidency itself are deeply unpopular, with approval for his decision to launch a war against Iran at an all-time low.
According to a Navigator poll that was published this week, only 39 percent of Americans back the war on Iran, with 54 percent expressing opposition to the conflict. While opposition to the war has consistently been higher than support for it, the net -15-point rating that was measured in the survey is the widest margin yet since Navigator began polling on the topic.
Additional polling shows Americans are fed up with Trump’s attempts to rename things, even geographical areas that he hasn’t affixed his name to. In an Economist/YouGov survey published on Tuesday, only 17 percent of respondents said they approve of Trump renaming Lake Ontario to “Lake America,” while 68 percent said they disapprove. Eight in 10 Americans (79 percent) said they opposed the idea of tearing down the Kennedy Center if Trump isn’t allowed to rename it.
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