US President Donald Trump on Friday referred to the Strait of Hormuz as the “Strait of Hormuz”, winking at the vital oil shipping route and a key sticking point in the Iran war.Speaking at the Future Investment Initiative in Miami, Trump said, “Iran has to open up the Strait of Hormuz, I mean, Hormuz,” Trump said, prompting laughter from the audience.He then said, “Sorry. I’m so sorry. Such a terrible mistake,” before adding, “The fake news will say, ‘She said by mistake’, ‘No, I haven’t had an accident, not too bad. If there was, we’d have a big story.'”The comments come at a time when the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route, has become the epicenter of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The waterway typically handles the movement of about 20 million barrels of oil per day, making it one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints.Iran’s ability to disrupt or block access through the strait has contributed to significant volatility in global energy supplies and prices. The conflict is nearing its second month, while the United States claims to have “destroyed” Iran’s military capabilities.Earlier in the week, Trump had suggested that control of the strait could be jointly managed by “me and the Ayatollahs” as part of a possible solution. He has also said that Iran is in talks with the US and is “begging” for a compromise, although officials in Tehran have denied any direct talks.Separately, a New York Post report cited by Axios said Trump is considering the possibility of taking control of the strait and naming it after himself or as “America’s Strait.” This idea echoes their earlier effort to relabel the Gulf of Mexico.The comments are in line with Trump’s long-standing approach to branding, where he has often used his name in business and public ventures. This also echoes a previous post on Truth Social in October, where he jokingly mentioned the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, using its name.The Kennedy Center’s board later voted to rename the institution the “Trump-Kennedy Center”, according to a White House announcement in December.