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Leaders
12-05-2025
- Business
- Leaders
Trump Teases Major Announcement Ahead of Saudi Arabia Visit
US President Donald Trump will make a historic announcement before his Middle East tour next week, White House officials confirmed on Tuesday. Speaking to journalists, Trump hinted at a groundbreaking policy update tied to his upcoming visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. 'We'll share a monumental statement—the largest in decades—on Thursday, Friday, or Monday,' he declared, refusing to disclose specifics but emphasizing its 'very positive' nature. However, two unnamed US officials revealed Trump plans to rename the Persian Gulf as the 'Arabian Gulf' during his Riyadh stopover. Arab nations have long advocated for this geographic revision, while Iran fiercely defends the historical 'Persian Gulf' designation. The International Hydrographic Organization, which standardizes global maritime names, recognizes both terms but leaves final usage to individual countries. Google Maps currently labels the waterway as 'Persian Gulf (Arabian Gulf),' while Apple Maps uses only the former. Diplomatic Implications and Historical Context Iran threatened legal action against Google in 2012 for omitting the Persian Gulf label, underscoring tensions over the naming dispute. Trump's move, though symbolic, aligns with his administration's closer ties to Gulf allies against Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Critics argue the change lacks global enforceability, as nations retain autonomy over terminology. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE—all situated along the contested waters—await Trump's visit with heightened anticipation. Trump's tour, spanning 13–16 May, marks his first overseas trip since taking office and seeks stronger economic and security partnerships. Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary, confirmed stops in Riyadh, Doha, and Abu Dhabi. The president aims to secure Gulf investments in US infrastructure and rally regional support for Gaza peace efforts. Notably, Trump's business ties to Gulf states remain under scrutiny as he navigates diplomatic engagements. Balancing Regional Alliances and Global Perceptions The renaming effort mirrors Trump's 2023 proposal to rebrand the Gulf of Mexico as the 'Gulf of America,' highlighting his preference for symbolic gestures. Analysts suggest the Arabian Gulf shift could deepen US-Arab collaboration but risk inflaming Iran-US hostilities. As global media monitors the announcement, Saudi officials prepare to host Trump amid expectations of strengthened bilateral accords. The visit underscores Riyadh's pivotal role in shaping Middle East geopolitics under the Biden administration's predecessor. Trump's upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE is set to be a pivotal moment in US-Middle East relations. The announcement regarding the Persian Gulf name change is expected to have significant geopolitical implications. As the region watches closely, the outcomes of this visit could reshape economic ties and regional conflicts for years to come. Short link : Post Views: 35
Express Tribune
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Trump plans to rename Persian Gulf as Arabian Gulf, officials say
Listen to article US President Donald Trump is expected to announce during his upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia that the United States will begin referring to the Persian Gulf as the "Arabian Gulf" or the "Gulf of Arabia," according to two US officials familiar with the matter. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the announcement will be made next week as part of Trump's diplomatic outreach to Gulf Arab allies. The White House and National Security Council declined to comment. The geographic renaming reflects a long-standing push by several Arab nations to redefine the identity of the waterway that separates the Arabian Peninsula from Iran. Iran, which borders much of the northern coastline of the Gulf, strongly opposes the name change and has long asserted that the body of water be referred to by its historical title, the Persian Gulf — a name dating back to at least the 16th century. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the move in a statement on the social platform X, calling it a 'politically motivated attempt' that carries 'no legal or geographical weight.' He warned that such an action would only 'provoke the wrath of all Iranians, regardless of political stance, at home and abroad.' 'The names of Middle Eastern waterways do not imply ownership by any one nation, but rather reflect a shared heritage,' Abbas Araghchi wrote. 'Politically driven changes to these names are a hostile act.' The naming dispute has simmered for decades, with tensions flaring on several occasions. In 2017, during Trump's first term, Iran's then-president Hassan Rouhani accused him of lacking basic geographic knowledge after he publicly used 'Arabian Gulf.' While the US government has traditionally used 'Persian Gulf' in official documents, the US military has often used 'Arabian Gulf' in its regional communications — a practice Iran has consistently criticised. The International Hydrographic Organization, the global body responsible for naming seas and oceans, continues to use 'Persian Gulf' as the internationally recognised name. While countries may use alternate names domestically, changes to global naming conventions require broad consensus, which has not been reached in this case. The renaming announcement will coincide with Trump's visit to Riyadh, Doha, and Abu Dhabi — three Gulf capitals with close political and economic ties to Washington. Trump's critics argue the name change underscores a growing political bias toward Gulf Arab states. His business ties in the region have also drawn scrutiny, with questions raised over potential conflicts of interest while serving in office. The development comes just months after Trump controversially declared the US would rename the Gulf of Mexico as the 'Gulf of America.' That move triggered legal action from the Associated Press, after its reporters were barred from White House briefings for refusing to adopt the new terminology. A federal judge ruled in favour of the AP in March, affirming First Amendment protections for journalists and reinstating access.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump mulls renaming Persian Gulf as Gulf of Arabia
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he's considering trying to change the name of the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Arabia or the Arabian Gulf. Trump said he's going to make a final decision on the issue after a briefing by advisers and before leaving on a three-day trip to the Middle East next week. 'They're going to ask me about that when I get there and I'll have to make a decision,' Trump told reporters at an unrelated White House event. The Associated Press reported that Trump would announce the U.S. is making the change, citing two U.S. officials familiar with the matter. Any effort to rename the body of water would likely deeply anger Iran, which was historically called Persia, and perhaps other Middle Eastern states as well. It could also throw a monkey wrench into sensitive talks between the U.S. and Tehran over its nuclear program. 'Politically motivated attempts to alter the historically established name of the Persian Gulf are indicative of hostile intent toward Iran and its people, and are firmly condemned,' Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on social media. 'It will only bring the wrath of all Iranians from all walks of life and political persuasion in Iran, the U.S. and across the world.' The Persian Gulf has been widely known by that name since the 16th century, although usage of 'Gulf of Arabia' and 'Arabian Gulf' is common in many countries in the Middle East. The U.S. military for years has unilaterally referred to the Persian Gulf as the Arabian Gulf. Trump can change the name that the U.S. uses to refer to the gulf, which separates Iran from Saudi Arabia and other state, but he can't dictate what the rest of the world calls it. The International Hydrographic Organization is mandated with ensuring all the world's seas, oceans and navigable waters are surveyed and charted uniformly The move comes as Trump seeks to bolster ties with Saudi Arabia and other Arab states in the Gulf region, which are Sunni Muslim nations and strong historic rivals to Shia Muslim Iran. Trump plans to leave Monday on the trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. He is reportedly considering adding a stop in Israel. The decision comes months after Trump proclaimed that the U.S. would refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. He has sought to force news outlets to also use his preferred name and Republicans in Congress are seeking to pass a law enforcing that switch. _____
Al Arabiya
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
White House says it's a ‘fact' that the Gulf of Mexico has been renamed. Is that right?
For more than four centuries, the body of water stretching from Florida through Texas and into Mexico has been known as the Gulf of Mexico. But in a matter of weeks, President Donald Trump and White House officials have sought to rewrite the map by calling it the 'Gulf of America'–and insisting others do the same. 'It is a fact that the body of water off the coast of Louisiana is called the Gulf of America,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Feb. 12. 'It's very important to this administration that we get that right, not just for people here at home, but also for the rest of the world.' But Trump's effort to rewrite the map of the world is far more complicated than such comments suggest. Here's what goes into a name. Did Trump rename the Gulf of Mexico? Before his Jan. 20 inauguration, Trump announced plans to change the Gulf of Mexico's name to the 'Gulf of America'–and signed an executive order to do so as soon as he was in office. Can he change the name on his own? He can change the name for official US purposes, but he can't dictate what the rest of the world calls it. The International Hydrographic Organization–of which both the US and Mexico are members–works to ensure all the world's seas, oceans and navigable waters are surveyed and charted uniformly and also names some of them. There are instances where countries refer to the same body of water or landmark by different names in their own documentation. It can be easier when a landmark or body of water is within a country's boundaries. In 2015, then-President Barack Obama approved an order from the Department of Interior to rename Mount McKinley–the highest peak in North America–to Denali, a move that Trump has also reversed. Are others following Trump's lead? Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has brushed off Trump's move, saying the president can use whatever name he prefers for the US portion of the water. 'For us, it is still the Gulf of Mexico, and for the entire world it is still the Gulf of Mexico,' she said shortly after Trump signed the executive order. Google Maps began using 'Gulf of America' for users in the US, saying it had a longstanding practice of following the US government's lead on such matters. Users in Mexico will see 'Gulf of Mexico,' and maps will display both names for those logging in from other countries. The other leading online map provider, Apple Maps, has changed to 'Gulf of America' on some browsers. The AP said last month that it would continue to refer to the 'Gulf of Mexico' while noting Trump's decision to rename it as well. As a global news agency that disseminates news around the world, the AP says it must ensure that place names and geography are easily recognizable to all audiences. AP style is not only used by the agency. The AP Stylebook is relied on by thousands of journalists and other writers globally. The White House has blocked AP reporters from covering several events after demanding the news agency alter its style. Why is Trump doing this? Since his first run for the White House in 2016, Trump has repeatedly clashed with Mexico over a number of issues, including border security and the imposition of tariffs on imported goods. He vowed then to build a wall along the US-Mexico border and make Mexico pay for it. The US ultimately constructed or refurbished about 450 miles of wall during his first term. How did the Gulf of Mexico get its name? The body of water has been depicted with that name for more than four centuries, an original determination believed to have been taken from the Native American city of Mexico. Has renaming the Gulf of Mexico come up before? Yes. In 2012, a member of the Mississippi Legislature proposed a bill to rename portions of the gulf that touch that state's beaches 'Gulf of America,' a move the bill author later referred to as a 'joke.' That bill, which was referred to a committee, did not pass. Two years earlier, comedian Stephen Colbert had joked on his show that following the massive Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, it should be renamed 'Gulf of America' because 'we broke it, we bought it.' Are there other international disputes over the names of places? There's a long-running dispute over the name of the Sea of Japan among Japan, North Korea, South Korea, and Russia, with South Korea arguing that the current name wasn't commonly used until Korea was under Japanese rule. At an International Hydrographic Organization meeting in 2020, member states agreed on a plan to replace names with numerical identifiers and develop a new digital standard for modern geographic information systems. The Persian Gulf has been widely known by that name since the 16th century, although usage of 'Gulf' and 'Arabian Gulf' is dominant in many countries in the Middle East. The government of Iran threatened to sue Google in 2012 over the company's decision not to label the body of water at all on its maps. There have been other conversations about bodies of water, including from Trump's 2016 opponent. According to materials revealed by WikiLeaks in a hack of her campaign chairman's personal account, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2013 told an audience that by China's logic that it claimed nearly the entirety of the South China Sea, then the US, after World War II, could have labeled the Pacific Ocean the 'American Sea.' Americans and Mexicans also diverge on what to call another the river that forms the border between Texas and the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas. Americans call it the Rio Grande; Mexicans call it the Rio Bravo.
The Independent
13-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
The White House says it's a 'fact' that the Gulf of Mexico has been renamed. Is that right?
For more than four centuries, the body of water stretching from Florida through Texas and into Mexico has been known as the Gulf of Mexico. But in a matter of weeks, President Donald Trump and White House officials have sought to rewrite the map by calling it the Gulf of America — and insisting others do the same. 'It is a fact that the body of water off the coast of Louisiana is called the Gulf of America,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Feb. 12. 'It's very important to this administration that we get that right, not just for people here at home, but also for the rest of the world.' But Trump's effort to rewrite the map of the world is far more complicated than such comments suggest. Here's what goes into a name. Did Trump rename the Gulf of Mexico? Before his Jan. 20 inauguration, Trump announced plans to change the Gulf of Mexico's name to the 'Gulf of America' — and signed an executive order to do so as soon as he was in office. Can he change the name on his own? He can change the name for official U.S. purposes, but he can't dictate what the rest of the world calls it. The International Hydrographic Organization — of which both the United States and Mexico are members — works to ensure all the world's seas, oceans and navigable waters are surveyed and charted uniformly, and also names some of them. There are instances where countries refer to the same body of water or landmark by different names in their own documentation. It can be easier when a landmark or body of water is within a country's boundaries. In 2015, then-President Barack Obama approved an order from the Department of Interior to rename Mount McKinley — the highest peak in North America — to Denali, a move that Trump has also reversed. Are others following Trump's lead? Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has brushed off Trump's move, saying the president can use whatever name he prefers for the U.S. portion of the water. 'For us, it is still the Gulf of Mexico, and for the entire world it is still the Gulf of Mexico," she said shortly after Trump signed the executive order. Google Maps began using 'Gulf of America' for users in the U.S., saying it had a 'longstanding practice' of following the U.S. government's lead on such matters. Users in Mexico will see Gulf of Mexico, and maps will display both names for those logging in from other countries. The other leading online map provider, Apple Maps, has changed to 'Gulf of America' on some browsers. The AP said last month that it would continue to refer to the Gulf of Mexico while noting Trump's decision to rename it as well. As a global news agency that disseminates news around the world, the AP says it must ensure that place names and geography are easily recognizable to all audiences. AP style is not only used by the agency. The AP Stylebook is relied on by thousands of journalists and other writers globally. The White House has blocked AP reporters from covering several events after demanding the news agency alter its style. Why is Trump doing this? Since his first run for the White House in 2016, Trump has repeatedly clashed with Mexico over a number of issues, including border security and the imposition of tariffs on imported goods. He vowed then to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and make Mexico pay for it. The U.S. ultimately constructed or refurbished about 450 miles of wall during his first term. How did the Gulf of Mexico get its name? The body of water has been depicted with that name for more than four centuries, an original determination believed to have been taken from the Native American city of 'Mexico.' Has renaming the Gulf of Mexico come up before? Yes. In 2012, a member of the Mississippi Legislature proposed a bill to rename portions of the gulf that touch that state's beaches 'Gulf of America,' a move the bill author later referred to as a 'joke.' That bill, which was referred to a committee, did not pass. Two years earlier, comedian Stephen Colbert had joked on his show that, following the massive Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, it should be renamed 'Gulf of America' because "we broke it, we bought it. Are there other international disputes over the names of places? There's a long-running dispute over the name of the Sea of Japan among Japan, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, with South Korea arguing that the current name wasn't commonly used until Korea was under Japanese rule. At an International Hydrographic Organization meeting in 2020, member states agreed on a plan to replace names with numerical identifiers and develop a new digital standard for modern geographic information systems. The Persian Gulf has been widely known by that name since the 16th century, although usage of 'Gulf' and 'Arabian Gulf' is dominant in many countries in the Middle East. The government of Iran threatened to sue Google in 2012 over the company's decision not to label the body of water at all on its maps. There have been other conversations about bodies of water, including from Trump's 2016 opponent. According to materials revealed by WikiLeaks in a hack of her campaign chairman's personal account, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2013 told an audience that, by China's logic that it claimed nearly the entirety of the South China Sea, then the U.S. after World War II could have labeled the Pacific Ocean the 'American Sea.' Americans and Mexicans also diverge on what to call another the river that forms the border between Texas and the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas. Americans call it the Rio Grande; Mexicans call it the Rio Bravo. ___ ___ Kinnard can be reached at
