Dire straits: Brand on the run as Trump suggests Hormuz can be renamed in his honor
President Trump has proposed renaming the Strait of Hormuz to the 'Trump Strait,' continuing a trend of renaming geographic landmarks. Major tech companies like Google and Apple have complied with similar requests, while others like MapQuest have resisted.
Why it matters
The story highlights the influence of political pressure on private tech corporations and the role of digital maps in shaping geographic perception.
TOI correspondent from Washington: Donald Trump has rescued a canal, invaded a country, conquered a gulf, annexed a lake -- at least on American maps -- and put his name on a performing-arts center. He now appears to have set his sights on the hottest waterway on the planet.The MAGA boss suggested on his social media account on Wednesday that the Strait of Hormuz could be renamed the “Trump Strait” -- because if you cannot solve a problem, you can at least rename it.The proposal is the latest addition to what has become an extraordinary Trump-era renaming and branding binge. In January 2025, Trump ordered the Gulf of Mexico renamed the Gulf of America for US federal purposes. Last week he signed an executive order changing Lake Ontario to Lake America, saying the US had been treated badly by Canada.
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