Trump is not stopping at Gulf of America as he ‘plans to rename the Persian Gulf’
Jessica Kwong
Renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America was apparently not enough for Donald Trump.
The American president is reportedly planning to announce that the US will call the Persian Gulf a new name – the Arabian Gulf or the Gulf of Arabia.
Trump will reveal the change during his trip to Saudi Arabia next week, two US officials told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Metro.
Trump’s latest move to rebrand geography would come several months after he signed an executive order – one of the first in his second term – to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. He then recognized February 9 as the first-ever Gulf of America Day and following the order, Google Maps made the change in the US as well.
The Persian Gulf got its name in the 16th century, but many nations in the Middle East have been referring to it as the Arabian Gulf or the Gulf of Arabia. Google Maps in the US labels the body of water as Persian Gulf (Arabian Gulf).
Iran, which is the former Persia, in 2012 threatened a lawsuit against Google for not naming the body of water on its maps. The nearly 97,000-square-mile gulf borders Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.
The US military has also used Arabian Gulf in all of its statements, and Trump referred to it that way during his first term. In 2017, Iran’s then-Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote online: ‘Everyone knew Trump’s friendship was for sale to the highest bidder. We now know that his geography is, too.’
Trump will visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates from May 13 to 16. He is seeking to forge stronger connections with the Gulf countries for their support in limiting Iran’s nuclear program, resolving the Israel-Hamas war, and encouraging them to invest financially in the US.
Trump in his Oval Office meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated he would make an ‘earth-shattering’ announcement, and it is not clear if he was referring to the renaming the gulf.
US President Donald Trump holds a cap with the words "Gulf of America" embroidered as he walks to board Marine One to depart for Michigan to attend a rally to celebrate his first 100 days in office, from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 29, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis
President Donald Trump has boasted about his decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in the US (Picture: Reuters)
‘I won’t tell you on what… and it’s very positive,’ said Trump.
‘It’ll be one of the most important announcements that have been made in many years about a certain subject, very important subject.’
Trump has the power to change the gulf’s name in the US, but not in other countries.
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