US President Donald Trump stated he plans to declare the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States once the conflict with Iran ends. The remark, made during a speech in New York, comes amid ongoing tensions over control of the critical waterway.
Iran quickly rejected the comments, insisting the strait remains under its authority.
The Drivers of This Activity
Speaking on 14 August at a police academy in Garden City, New York, Trump said: “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.” He added that the United States already maintains a blockade and that “no ships get through unless we want them to.”
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital shipping route for oil, gas and other commodities. Traffic has been heavily disrupted since the start of hostilities earlier in 2026. Trump linked the higher energy costs faced by Americans to the broader effort to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi responded that the strait “cannot be seized by tweet, nor by aircraft carrier, nor by issuing an order, nor by an election speech,” and that it “has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian.”
Impact and Broader Context
The statement escalates rhetoric around one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints at a time when shipping remains restricted and oil prices face upward pressure. It also highlights the gap between US claims of effective control through naval presence and Iran’s assertion of authority over the waterway.
Analysts note that formal claims of territorial control over international straits face significant legal and diplomatic hurdles under existing maritime law. The comments are likely to complicate any remaining diplomatic efforts and could further heighten regional tensions.
Markets, shipping operators and governments will monitor whether the rhetoric translates into concrete policy steps and how Iran and other regional actors respond. Further developments in the conflict and any follow-up statements will shape the immediate outlook for the strait and global energy flows.
Source: Al Jazeera; USA Today