Trump hints at Persian Gulf name change during Middle East visit

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President Donald Trump has indicated that the United States may reconsider its official terminology for the Persian Gulf during his upcoming trip to the Middle East, Al Jazeera reported. 

As Trump prepares to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates from May 13 to 16, he told reporters that a decision on the matter could be imminent.

“I’ll have to make a decision,” Trump said at the White House on Wednesday. “I don’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings… I’ll be given a briefing on that.”

Media outlets have suggested Trump may declare a shift from “Persian Gulf” to “Arabian Gulf” or “Gulf of Arabia” — a move that would align the US with several Arab states that dispute Iran’s claim to the historic name. 

The Gulf’s naming has long been a geopolitical flashpoint, with Iran emphasising historical usage backed by centuries of cartographic tradition, while Arab states promote alternative terms to assert regional identity.

Iran’s response has been swift and severe. Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi called the potential change an “affront to all Iranians” and warned it would trigger widespread anger and diplomatic consequences. He accused Washington of catering to regional rivals at the expense of historical fact.

Trump’s foreign policy style has often included symbolic moves, such as his recent renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.” Critics argue such gestures risk unnecessary escalation in already tense regions.

If adopted, a change in terminology could signal a deeper US realignment toward Gulf Arab states — potentially at the cost of worsening US-Iran relations. With diplomatic sensitivities running high, Trump’s decision may carry significance far beyond semantics.