Trump Says He’ll Declare Strait of Hormuz US Territory After Iran Is Defeated
President Donald Trump said Friday that he intends to declare the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States once Iran is defeated, dramatically escalating his push for American control over one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.
Trump made the announcement during a Long Island rally supporting Republican candidates ahead of the midterm elections. The president argued that Iran is rapidly losing its ability to challenge the United States and suggested a decisive American victory is approaching.
“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 told the crowd.
The declaration represents Trump’s strongest statement yet about the future of the strait. His administration has spent months arguing that Iran should not be permitted to control or disrupt a passage used by countries around the world to transport enormous quantities of oil and natural gas.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that the United States now exercises military control over the Strait of Hormuz through its powerful naval presence. Earlier this week, he described the American blockade as a “Wall of Steel” and said there was little Tehran could do to challenge US dominance in the area.
The latest escalation follows the collapse of a preliminary peace agreement between Washington and Tehran. The June 17 deal fell apart after Iran attempted to reassert control over the strait, including attacks on commercial vessels traveling through a shipping lane favored by the United States.
Trump has responded by intensifying military and economic pressure. His administration maintains a naval blockade targeting Iran while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has promised another major round of economic measures against Tehran beginning next week.
The president had previously floated renaming the waterway the “Strait of America.” That proposal emerged after American allies resisted participating more aggressively in efforts to break Iran’s control over the critical shipping route.
Trump has also argued that the United States deserves compensation for providing security in the strait. His administration briefly proposed collecting a reimbursement fee on cargo moving through the waterway before shifting its approach toward maintaining free passage for non-Iranian shipping while blockading Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most important energy chokepoints on Earth, historically carrying roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply. Disruptions caused by the conflict have sharply reduced commercial traffic and contributed to volatility in global energy markets.
Trump did not explain the legal or diplomatic process through which the United States could formally claim the international waterway as American territory. His comments nevertheless make clear that he is envisioning a dramatically expanded US role in the strait after the conflict ends.
With Iran under increasing military and economic pressure, Trump is now looking beyond simply reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The president is openly suggesting that an American victory could permanently change who controls the waterway, with the United States emerging as the dominant power overseeing passage through one of the world’s most consequential shipping routes.