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BumRushDaShow

(157,061 posts)
Wed May 7, 2025, 07:33 AM May 7

Trump plans to announce that the US will call the Persian Gulf the Arabian Gulf, officials say [View all]

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

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Could just call it the "911 Gulf". Everyone would get it. twodogsbarking May 7 #1
The AP plans to announce their reporters will now refer to Trump as The Imbecile. sop May 7 #2
Just referring to Trump as the Idiot will do for me. riversedge May 7 #3
Wishing that's all that Saudi Arabia gets for 2 billion dollars. gab13by13 May 7 #4
For another 2 billion dollars Trump will call it the "Gulf of Saudi Arabia." sop May 7 #6
Inane, meaningless distraction. AloeVera May 7 #5
K&R "Toddler smears peas on his face and says 'Look at me!" TheProle May 7 #15
Dump 2.5 billion into his Crapto account and the king of the world will name whatever you like as anything you want to. Ford_Prefect May 7 #7
First Gulf of Mexico unilaterally gets changed by an idiot, now this? tornado34jh May 7 #8
Google Maps already has it in parentheses IronLionZion May 7 #9
When I visited in the UAE and Oman PhylliPretzel May 7 #10
What is it with Trump and changing the names of stuff? PatSeg May 7 #11
He does it to piss off people Zorro May 7 #14
Yes and being more and more people "don't care for him" PatSeg May 7 #17
TSF is just like Reagan was in his later years severe (DEMENTIA) bluestarone May 7 #12
Bullshit distraction RussBLib May 7 #13
Oh, man Lulu KC May 7 #16
From here on out I'm going to call him Donald Dumbshit Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin May 7 #18
Widening Gulf of Stupidity! Canada Kid May 7 #19
lol He teased this dumbass, inane announcement for weeks. Oneironaut May 7 #20
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