Trump says he will soon declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said he plans to soon declare the Strait of Hormuz “a territory of the United States” as he once again asserted control of the critical waterway amid the war in Iran and touted the success of an American naval blockade of Iranian ports.

“After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated, pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States,” Trump said in an Aug. 14 speech in New York. “Essentially that’s what we have. The blockade ‒ no ships get through.”

More: Trump rejects criticism of USS Lincoln, says deployment ‘not long enough’

Trump’s comments marked his latest escalation in rhetoric over the Strait of Hormuz, which he has claimed the United States has taken over and blocked Iranian ships from accessing. Trump has said the blockade of the strait, an international waterway that Iran relies on to transport oil shipments, has wrecked Tehran’s economy.

But Iran has rejected Trump’s characterization of the strait, asserting it is under the “complete management and control” of Iran and that no commercial ships can go through without Iran’s permission.