Trump vows to declare Strait of Hormuz US territory soon

US President Donald Trump declared on Friday that he would soon designate the strategic Strait of Hormuz as a territory of the United States, signaling a dramatic escalation in Washington's confrontational stance toward Tehran. Speaking at the new Nassau County Police Academy in Garden City, New York, Trump asserted that Iran is "being very badly defeated" and that the US naval blockade of the critical waterway remains firmly in place. "No ships get through unless we want them to," he claimed, underscoring his administration's commitment to maintaining pressure on the Islamic Republic.

Blockade and nuclear concerns

Trump also addressed rising gas prices linked to the conflict, urging Americans to accept the economic costs as necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. "So for you to pay a tiny little bit more for your gasoline, just remember you're doing it so that a very evil country cannot have—the number one state sponsor of terror in the world, we don't want to have them have a nuclear weapon," he said. He further remarked that Iran's leadership has been decimated by the war, adding: "That's one of my problems: is nobody to negotiate with."

Iranian denial and military response

Iranian military officials have strongly contested Trump's claims regarding US control over the strait. The country's central military command dismissed the statements on Thursday as "baseless lies and fabrications," reaffirming Tehran's position that the waterway remains under Iranian authority. According to data from commodities analytics firm Kpler, cited by CNN, approximately 3,371 vessels have crossed the strait in the 166 days since the war began—roughly 20% of pre-war traffic volumes, indicating the significant disruption to global shipping.

Failed negotiations and ongoing hostilities

The US and Iran had previously agreed to a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire in April, followed by a June 17 deal that launched negotiations toward a final agreement. However, talks stalled over disagreements on security guarantees and freedom of navigation through the strait, one of the world's most vital chokepoints for energy supplies. From July 8 to 24, hostilities intensified as Washington launched strikes on targets inside Iran, while Tehran retaliated against US military facilities and equipment in Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait. The ongoing standoff continues to threaten regional stability and global energy markets.