Trump Proposes Renaming Pacific Ocean, Strait of Hormuz
The President is suggesting new titles for major international bodies of water after previous renaming executive orders.
Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Geography
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Should the federal government have the authority to unilaterally rename established geographic landmarks?
President Donald Trump has proposed renaming the Pacific Ocean to the American Ocean or Trump Ocean and the Strait of Hormuz to Trump Strait. This latest proposal follows a series of geographic renaming initiatives initiated since he took office.
Why it matters
These proposals reflect a broader administrative strategy to use executive orders to reshape how geographic features are identified for federal use. The President often frames these changes as a means to emphasize American identity and assert authority over landmark designations.
President Trump previously established federal naming standards through Executive Order 14172, which renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. These federal designations operate independently of international naming conventions for disputed or global waters.
The players
Donald Trump
Donald Trump is the current President of the United States.
The details
The President's efforts to alter geographic names have included renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America in August 2026 and restoring the name Mount McKinley. While state-level renaming attempts, such as the proposal for New Mexico, have faced rejection due to laws requiring local approval, federal executive orders remain the primary tool for renaming landmarks under US jurisdiction.
Timeline
On his first day in office, the President signed Executive Order 14172.
In July 2026, the President Donald J. Trump Bridge was unveiled in Tennessee.
In August 2026, an executive order renamed Lake Ontario to Lake America.
On October 22, 2026, these new renaming proposals were publicly announced.
The Big Picture
The current proposals extend the precedent set by Executive Order 14172 by shifting from domestic landmarks to international waters. This approach marks a departure from traditional geographic naming conventions which typically rely on international consensus.
These renaming initiatives apply primarily to federal documentation and government-affiliated maps. While federal agencies may adopt these titles, international shipping and navigation entities typically continue to follow globally recognized geographic names.
The takeaway
The administration continues to leverage executive authority to redefine geographic nomenclature for federal purposes. Readers should note that these changes primarily impact official government communications rather than global cartographic standards.
Further reading
Learn more about how global landmarks are identified in our Geography section.
Live Poll
Should the federal government have the authority to unilaterally rename established geographic landmarks?
