Trump threatens to declare Strait of Hormuz 'territory of the United States'
President Donald Trump has threatened to designate the Strait of Hormuz as US territory amid stalled peace talks with Iran and ongoing war.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday during a speech at a police academy in Long Island, New York, that he would "pretty soon" declare the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States. The strait is a vital chokepoint for global trade, through which roughly one-fifth of world seaborne oil supplies normally pass.
The remarks come as peace talks with Iran remain deadlocked after failed negotiations. Tehran has refused to reopen the strait, which has been largely closed since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran in February. Nearly six months into the conflict, there are few signs that talks will produce peace, as Iranian officials continue to defy Trump's demands. In recent months, the US has blockaded Iranian shipping and ports to intensify economic pressure on Tehran.
Trump said that after defeating Iran, he would soon declare the strait a US territory, adding that the US already has a blockade and no ships pass without US permission. The significance of the remark and whether it signals a new policy position was not immediately clear.
Iran's deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, responded on X, saying Tehran would not be intimidated by threats or a show of force, and that the Strait of Hormuz would only be opened or closed under Iran's authority.
Earlier this week, Trump claimed that the US had "total control" over the strait and said "I think we will keep it" on Truth Social, despite the waterway being an internationally navigable strait bordered by Iran and Oman. Fuel prices have risen sharply since the war began, forcing working Americans to pay significantly more at the pump.
Nevertheless, Trump said Americans who have to pay "a tiny little bit more" for gasoline should remember they are doing it so that a "very evil country" cannot obtain a nuclear weapon. He said paying a little more, with prices at $4, was acceptable and that he would never apologize, insisting he did the right thing.
Over the past six months, the Trump administration has repeatedly claimed victory, saying Iran's regime has been pleading for a deal. Tehran has remained steadfast, saying it will not reopen the strait unless the US "corrects its behavior," "completely compensates" Iran for war damage, lifts sanctions, and "unconditionally" releases frozen assets.
