President Donald Trump is expected to announce that the United States will officially refer to the Persian Gulf as the “Arabian Gulf” during his upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia next week, according to two U.S. officials who spoke with the Associated Press.
The body of water has been widely known as the Persian Gulf since the 16th century, but many countries in the Arab world commonly refer to it as the Arabian Gulf — a term that has long been a source of geopolitical tension, particularly with Iran.
Currently, U.S.-based platforms like Google Maps list the waterway as the “Persian Gulf (Arabian Gulf)”, while Apple Maps labels it solely as the Persian Gulf. The U.S. military has, on occasion, used the term “Arabian Gulf” in past communications, sparking diplomatic criticism from Tehran.
This move follows a similarly controversial decision by Trump months ago to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “American Gulf,” a declaration that stirred strong reactions both domestically and internationally.
The expected renaming is likely to deepen rifts with Iran and may further inflame regional sensitivities, as naming conventions in the Middle East often carry historical and political weight.
