Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory? Trump says he'll declare it so once the Iran war is over
Oil residue lines the shore near fishing boats on Qeshm Island, Iran, Thursday, amid ongoing wartime attacks on vessels and infrastructure in and around the Strait of Hormuz. Credit: AP/Amirhosein Khorgooi
President Donald Trump said Friday that once the war with Iran, which is nearing its sixth month, concludes, he will declare the Strait of Hormuz "a territory of the United States."
The announcement came in a speech at the Nassau County Police Department’s training center in Uniondale where Trump stumped for GOP candidates and policies. It served as an escalation in the president's rhetoric over control of the strait, which has been largely closed to traffic since the war began in February.
Roughly 20% of the world's oil and gas is transported through the narrow passageway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
"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 a speech that largely focused on local law enforcement issues and promoting Republican candidates.
Trump did not provide details on how the United States would annex the critical shipping lane. Iran and Oman share jurisdiction of the strait.
Trump also touted the success of the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, even as the war with Iran — and the challenges with moving oil tankers in and out of the strait — has caused gas prices to increase nationwide.
"When you have to pay your $4 a gallon, I'll never apologize. I did the right thing," Trump said, arguing the war was necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Iran has repeatedly rejected Trump's characterization that the United States controls the strait.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority said that whoever owns the waterway does "not change the reality: the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked and will not be reopened until Iran’s conditions are accepted."
Trump has previously suggested renaming the waterway "the Strait of America."
A preliminary peace deal signed with Iran on June 17 fell apart a month later regarding control of the strait, and the two countries remain at an impasse.
The strait is not the only territory Trump has threatened to annex since returning to office last year. In recent months, Trump has also discussed acquiring or annexing Greenland, Canada and Venezuela.
Trump can't unilaterally declare foreign lands to be a U.S. territory. According to Congress.gov, "Historical practice and other constitutional powers have consistently provided a role for Congress in recognizing the addition of new territory to the United States."
Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.
'Democrats say this is a misuse of taxpayer funds' Nassau Republicans awarded over $1 million in taxpayer-funded legal contracts to the one-man law firm of Sheharyar Ali, a longtime GOP ally. Ali's father is an adviser to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa and Newsday Nassau County politics reporter Bahar Ostadan have the story.
'Democrats say this is a misuse of taxpayer funds' Nassau Republicans awarded over $1 million in taxpayer-funded legal contracts to the one-man law firm of Sheharyar Ali, a longtime GOP ally. Ali's father is an adviser to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa and Newsday Nassau County politics reporter Bahar Ostadan have the story.
