Trump’s administration has pursued a range of renaming initiatives, including military bases and airports, leading to public backlash and legal challenges surrounding these changes.
Photo : AP
US President Donald Trump has made another striking claim about a geographical landmark, saying “The moon is ours” in a Sunday post on Truth Social alongside an image of the natural satellite and a US flag. The post came as Trump appeared to extend his long-running campaign of renaming or rebranding geographical features, public buildings and institutions.
On the same day, he shared a map of the US state of New Mexico in which the word “Mexico” had been crossed out in red and replaced with “America”.
The latest posts follow a series of controversial naming changes and proposals during Trump’s second term, including the US government’s decision to refer to Lake Ontario as “Lake America” for federal purposes and his suggestion that the Strait of Hormuz could be renamed the “Trump Strait”.
The Moon
Trump appeared to make an extraordinary claim of ownership over the moon on Sunday. “The moon is ours,” he wrote on Truth Social, alongside glimpses of the natural satellite and a US flag.
The post did not provide further details or explain whether Trump was making a serious policy statement.
It came as the president continued to draw attention to geographical naming issues, including his latest apparent attempt to alter the name of New Mexico.
New Mexico to ‘New America’?
In another Sunday Truth Social post, Trump shared a map of New Mexico in which “Mexico” had been crossed out in red and replaced with “America”.
Unlike the changes involving Lake Ontario and the Gulf of Mexico, there was no accompanying executive order or explanation.
It remains unclear whether Trump intends the post as a serious proposal or as a joke.
Lake Ontario to ‘Lake America’
Lake Ontario became “Lake America” for US federal purposes under an executive order issued on 27 August. The order directed the Interior Department to update the Geographic Names Information System and instructed federal agencies to use the new designation.
Canada has rejected the change.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the lake would continue to be called Lake Ontario, while Ontario Premier Doug Ford said it was “Lake Ontario to Canadians and the rest of the world. Now and forever.”
A Reuters/Ipsos poll of 1,023 US adults found that 63% opposed renaming the lake, while only 14% supported the move.
Trump also posted images appearing to show him crossing out “Ontario” on a map and replacing it with “America”.
Other posts included a video depicting geese carrying machine guns patrolling the lake and an AI-generated clip showing Trump knocking over a “Lake Ontario” sign and replacing it with one reading “Lake America”.
The President’s official Trump Store also began selling “Lake America” hats for $55.
Gulf of Mexico to ‘Gulf of America’
One of Trump’s first-day executive orders in January 2025 sought to rebrand the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America”. The order applied the new federal name to the US continental-shelf area bordered by Gulf Coast states and extending towards Mexico and Cuba.
The move became an early example of Trump’s efforts to use presidential authority to change geographical terminology.
Denali to Mount McKinley
Trump also ordered the restoration of the name “Mount McKinley” for North America’s highest mountain. The change was included in the same January 2025 order that addressed the Gulf of Mexico.
The mountain itself had been officially renamed Denali by the federal government in 2015, although the national park surrounding it remains called Denali National Park and Preserve.
Strait of Hormuz to ‘Trump Strait’
Trump has also floated a possible renaming of the Strait of Hormuz, the strategically important waterway at the centre of the conflict with Iran. In a 2 September Truth Social post, he proposed calling it the “Trump Strait”, saying the waterway would be “hotter” than ever.
But when asked about the idea later in the Oval Office, Trump appeared to play down the proposal. “No, no … it was just thrown out there,” he said.
The suggestion has nevertheless added the Strait of Hormuz to a growing list of places whose names have been targeted by the president or his allies.
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
Trump has also suggested that the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans could be renamed. While announcing the Lake America order, he said the administration might rename the Atlantic, the Pacific or both. He did not provide alternative names.
New York Penn Station to ‘Trump Station’
The possibility of renaming New York’s Penn Station has also been raised. Trump and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer disagreed over who first suggested the idea during discussions involving federal infrastructure funding, according to the White House.
The administration later urged senators to approve a renaming of the station, although it did not specify a replacement name in its request.
Washington Dulles International Airport
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in February that Trump had floated putting his name on Washington Dulles International Airport.
No formal renaming has been completed.
Kennedy Center to Trump-Kennedy Center
Trump’s name has also been added to the Kennedy Center in Washington by allies on its board. The institution identifies itself as the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.
The change has prompted a legal challenge over whether the board had the authority to alter the name of a memorial established by Congress.
US Institute of Peace to Donald J Trump Institute of Peace
The Trump administration also placed the president’s name on the Washington headquarters of the United States Institute of Peace. The building was rebranded as the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace while litigation over control of the congressionally created organisation continued.
Army Bases
The administration renamed nine Army installations in 2025. Several changes restored historic names, including Fort Liberty becoming Fort Bragg and Fort Moore becoming Fort Benning.
Other installations were renamed Fort Pickett, Fort Hood, Fort Gordon, Fort Lee, Fort Polk and Fort Rucker, while Fort Walker became Fort Anderson-Pinn-Hill.
The changes followed an earlier effort to remove the names of Confederate figures from US military bases.
