Donald Trump proposes renaming the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean

Former President Donald Trump floated a proposal to rename the Atlantic Ocean or the Pacific Ocean during a midterm election rally in Clarksville, Tennessee, on Oct. 10, 2026.

The suggestion, which offered two options—"Trump Ocean" or "Ocean of the Americas"—was presented as part of his broader discussion about geographic names, and it quickly ignited public conversation about the cultural and political implications of changing the names of world‑famous bodies of water.

At the rally, Trump joked that the United States already has a Gulf and a lake, and added, "We’ve got a river, we’ve got an ocean, we need a name for it. I was thinking of either the Atlantic or the Pacific. We call it Trump Ocean or Ocean of the Americas, something like that." He also noted his support for keeping the Mississippi River name, saying he loved the state of Mississippi.

The proposal follows a pattern of naming initiatives Trump has previously floated. Earlier in his administration he announced the Gulf of Mexico would become the "Gulf of America" and renamed Lake Ontario as "Lake America" in retaliation over trade tensions. He has also hinted at renaming New Mexico to "New America" and the Strait of Hormuz to "Trump Strait," though none of those changes have been formally enacted.

Legal scholars point out that renaming an ocean would require extensive international coordination and likely congressional action, making the suggestion symbolic rather than actionable at this stage. No official steps have been taken, and the idea remains a topic of debate among policymakers, historians, and the public as the rally’s audience and online commenters weigh in on the potential impact of such a change.