Trump: I will declare the Strait of Hormuz United States territory
At a speech in Garden City on Long Island, Trump said that after the “defeat” of Iran he would proclaim the Strait of Hormuz as United States territory; he delivered the line with a smile.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he will declare the Strait of Hormuz to be United States territory after the end of the war with Iran and, as he put it, its "defeat." The remark was made during a speech at the police academy in Nassau County, in Garden City on Long Island.
Speaking to the audience, Trump delivered the line with a smile, leaving observers uncertain whether he intended it as a concrete policy announcement or a provocative rhetorical flourish.
Statement in brief
In his remarks he said: "After we finish defeating Iran, which is suffering a heavy defeat, very soon I will declare the Strait of Hormuz to be territory of the United States of America."
The comment links a future U.S. action directly to the outcome of a hypothetical conflict with Iran. Trump framed the timeline as following a U.S. victory, but offered no details about legal or operational steps for such a declaration.
Because the Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway vital for global commerce and energy shipments, the assertion — whether serious or rhetorical — is likely to provoke debate. Trump’s smile during the remark underscored the ambiguity of his intent.
Photo: press material from the event
