Trump: alternative oil pipelines may reduce Strait of Hormuz’s future role

President Donald Trump's proposal to rename the Strait of Hormuz as the "Trump Strait" has caused annoyance among employees of the US Geological Survey (USGS), which is responsible for federal map names. The USGS recently ordered the agency to refer to Lake Ontario as "Lake America" due to a trade dispute with Canada. One USGS employee expressed their displeasure, stating, "I'm not happy.

We've had other controversies about names before, but never something like this." Name changes are typically decided by a vote at the US Board on Geographic Names, not through executive order.

The employee noted that this situation is particularly frustrating because the USGS is dealing with a significant workload, and now must update signs, maps, and other references to Lake Ontario. The change is also costing taxpayer money and time. Furthermore, both Apple and Google have altered their map software to display "Lake America" for US users, leading to increased animosity towards Trump and affecting these technology giants.

When announcing the name change, Trump referenced a letter from USGS Director Ned Mamula stating that the transition was complete in USGS electronic documents. Mamula, a Trump appointee, was confirmed by the Senate in 2025 but faced opposition from Senator Martin Heinrich, a Democrat, who criticized Mamula's history of spreading misinformation and conspiracies.

The USGS has previously reversed a name change, altering the name of Alaska's Mount McKinley back to its native name, Denali, before the polarized political landscape of today. Some USGS workers believe Trump's motive for changing Lake Ontario's name was to irritate Canada. They also mentioned that other countries, such as Canada, would continue to refer to the lake as "Lake Ontario."