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Trump threatens to declare Strait of Hormuz US territory amid ongoing Iran conflict

US President Donald Trump has threatened to declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory as his administration struggles to conclude the war with Iran nearly six months into the conflict. Speaking during a speech at a police academy on Long Island, New York, Trump stated that he would soon designate the strategic waterway as US territory, pointing to the ongoing American blockade of Iranian shipping and ports as justification.

The Strait of Hormuz serves as a crucial chokepoint for global trade, through which approximately a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil supplies typically pass, and it remains an internationally navigable strait bordered by Iran and Oman. Responding to the statements on social media, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi rejected the claims, asserting that Tehran would not be intimidated by threats or a show of force, and maintaining that the opening or closing of the strait remains strictly under Iranian authority.

The ongoing conflict has driven a sharp rise in global fuel prices, forcing working Americans to pay significantly more at the pump. Trump defended the higher costs during his address, arguing that paying extra for gasoline is acceptable to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, peace talks between the two nations remain at an impasse, with Tehran steadfastly refusing to reopen the waterway unless the US completely lifts sanctions, compensates Iran for war damage, and unconditionally releases its frozen assets.

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