Trump plans to announce that the US will call the Persian Gulf the Arabian Gulf, officials say

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: AP

Updated 5:24 AM EDT, May 7, 2025


WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump plans to announce while on his trip to Saudi Arabia next week that the United States will now refer to the Persian Gulf as the Arabian Gulf or the Gulf of Arabia, according to two U.S. officials. Arab nations have pushed for a change to the geographic name of the body of water off the southern coast of Iran, while Iran has maintained its historic ties to the gulf. The two U.S. officials spoke with The Associated Press on Tuesday on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter. The White House and National Security Council did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

The Persian Gulf has been widely known by that name since the 16th century, although usage of “Gulf of Arabia” and “Arabian Gulf” is dominant in many countries in the Middle East. The government of Iran — formerly Persia — threatened to sue Google in 2012 over the company’s decision not to label the body of water at all on its maps. On Google Maps in the U.S., the body of water appears as Persian Gulf (Arabian Gulf). Apple Maps only says the Persian Gulf.

The U.S. military for years has unilaterally referred to the Persian Gulf as the Arabian Gulf in statements and images it releases.The name of the body of water has become an emotive issue for Iranians who embrace their country’s long history as the Persian Empire. A spat developed in 2017 during Trump’s first term when he used the name Arabian Gulf for the waterway.

Iran’s president at the time, Hassan Rouhani, suggested Trump needed to “study geography.” “Everyone knew Trump’s friendship was for sale to the highest bidder. We now know that his geography is, too,” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote online at the time. On Wednesday, Iran’s current foreign minister also weighed in, saying that names of Mideast waterways do “not imply ownership by any particular nation, but rather reflects a shared respect for the collective heritage of humanity.”

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/trump-persian-gulf-saudi-arabia-ce30874c27bc01426d93ad3c65a18844

[twodogsbarking]

1. Could just call it the "911 Gulf". Everyone would get it.

[sop]

2. The AP plans to announce their reporters will now refer to Trump as The Imbecile.

[riversedge]

3. Just referring to Trump as the Idiot will do for me.

[gab13by13]

4. Wishing that's all that Saudi Arabia gets for 2 billion dollars.

[sop]

6. For another 2 billion dollars Trump will call it the "Gulf of Saudi Arabia."

[AloeVera]

5. Inane, meaningless distraction.

So we don't pay attention to the fruits of bribery he's about to lavish on the Saudis. Oh and he's bringing the CEOs of Blackrock and Citi.

Good summary of Trump's corruption and grifting with the Saudis and other Arab client states here:

https://responsiblestatecraft.org/trump-saudi-arabia/

[TheProle]

15. K&R "Toddler smears peas on his face and says 'Look at me!"

[Ford_Prefect]

7. Dump 2.5 billion into his Crapto account and the king of the world will name whatever you like as anything you want to.

[tornado34jh]

8. First Gulf of Mexico unilaterally gets changed by an idiot, now this?

Okay, one more time from the top, and I am purposely being it in bold to emphasis this: If there is going to be a change in the name of a sea or part of an ocean, not only do the countries in question have to agree to that, but the IHO is also responsible for delineating it as well as putting up a vote for a proposal to rename it. See for example the Southern Ocean which used to be called the Antarctic Ocean.

Yes, a feature of the ocean could be named differently depending on the language, but unless Iran and all the other countries in the Persian Gulf agree to change it and put it up for a vote with the IHO, what Trump says doesn't matter.

[IronLionZion]

9. Google Maps already has it in parentheses

[PhylliPretzel]

10. When I visited in the UAE and Oman

the locals just referred to it as "The Gulf," not wanting to offend folks on either side of that body of water..

[PatSeg]

11. What is it with Trump and changing the names of stuff?

He's like a young spoiled kid who just randomly decides to change the world because he can. He loves the chaos and attention.

Of course, he probably would change almost everything to "Trump" if he could. He is so in love with his name.

[Zorro]

14. He does it to piss off people

Renaming the Persian Gulf is just to piss off those damn Iranians and the rest of the world who disapprove of his arrogance.

Renaming the Gulf of Mexico was just to piss off those damn Mexicans and those who didn't vote for him.

He delights in having the power to provoke those who don't care for him.

[PatSeg]

17. Yes and being more and more people "don't care for him"

these days, he has a lot of people to piss off.

I just can't imagine what on earth he gets out of this kind of crap. He may be pissing off a lot of people, but he's also making himself look like a total mindless fool.

[bluestarone]

12. TSF is just like Reagan was in his later years severe (DEMENTIA)

Lot's of American RELIGIOUS TRAITORS taking full advantage of it. America is going to pay a huge price for this STUPIDITY!!

[RussBLib]

13. Bullshit distraction

...what's he trying to deflect from this time?

[Lulu KC]

16. Oh, man

Just trying to irritate Iran. Why? To be a creep, that's why. A choice between two things--he'll pick the wrong one. And if there isn't a choice on the table? He'll make one up.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

18. From here on out I'm going to call him Donald Dumbshit

I mean he sounds like a ten year old

[Canada Kid]

19. Widening Gulf of Stupidity!

One man's Arabian is another man's Persian. If he would take a long jump off a short peer into the gulf he would do us all a favour!

[Oneironaut]

20. lol He teased this dumbass, inane announcement for weeks.

Imagine being a Trump supporter, being told for a week that "A YUUUGE Announcement is coming!!1!" and then it's this shit. lmao