Trump Says He Views Strait of Hormuz as U.S. Territory

Trump Says He Views Strait of Hormuz as U.S. Territory

U.S. President Donald Trump has said he currently views the Strait of Hormuz as “American territory”, escalating his rhetoric over the strategically vital waterway amid the ongoing confrontation with Iran.

Trump has repeatedly argued that the United States should control access through the strait, and on August 21 he publicly described it as U.S. territory. He has also previously suggested that Washington could formally declare the waterway part of the United States.

The remarks come as the Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of the confrontation between Washington and Tehran. Commercial shipping through the waterway has fallen sharply, while U.S. forces continue enforcing a maritime blockade against Iranian ports.

Iran has rejected any U.S. claim over the strait, insisting that the waterway remains under Iranian sovereignty and that Tehran retains control over decisions concerning its opening and closure.

The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is one of the world’s most strategically important maritime routes, carrying a significant share of global energy shipments.

Trump’s latest statement therefore represents a major escalation in Washington’s rhetoric over control of the waterway, placing sovereignty, freedom of navigation and the wider U.S.-Iran confrontation at the centre of the dispute.