Trump says he will declare Strait of Hormuz US territory after defeating Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he will soon declare the Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory after defeating Iranian forces.

Speaking during a political rally in New York state, Trump claimed the United States already maintains full naval control over the key energy passage following monthslong military engagements across the Middle East.

Will the US declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory?

President Donald Trump stated plans to claim the waterway as American land following a military victory over Iran. However, an unnamed White House official subsequently clarified to reporters that the president was joking during his speech. Iranian diplomatic leaders immediately rejected the claim, emphasizing that the strategic maritime passage remains strictly under Iranian sovereignty and military command.

During his speech at a police academy in New York, President Trump cheered ongoing military operations against Tehran while asserting complete blockade authority over regional waters. Reporting from CNN confirms that Trump assured supporters no commercial vessels could navigate the waterway without explicit American authorization. The Wall Street Journal subsequently reported that White House representatives minimized the statement as lighthearted banter rather than formal foreign policy.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi responded swiftly to the statement in a social media message published Saturday. According to report details from Al Jazeera, Gharibabadi affirmed that the maritime passage remains under Iranian territorial sovereignty and operational control. He emphasized that Iranian authorities exclusively retain the military power to open or close the strategic waterway.

How did Iran respond to Donald Trump comments on the Strait of Hormuz?

The United States and Israel initiated joint military operations against Iran on February 28, prompting Tehran to assert naval dominance over the passage. Iranian forces effectively blocked civilian shipping routes, creating a prolonged deadlock with Western military commanders. In response, the United States Navy established a comprehensive blockade of Iranian ports to weaken the national economy.

The continuous maritime blockade has crippled commercial trade and heightened geopolitical volatility throughout the Middle East. The strategic waterway serves as a vital transit corridor for global energy and commodity shipments. Both nations remain locked in a tense standoff as naval forces enforce competing restrictions across regional shipping lanes.