US President Donald Trump has said he plans to declare the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States after what he described as the defeat of Iran.
Trump made the remarks during a political rally at a police academy in New York State, amid the ongoing conflict between the US, Israel and Iran.
“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.
He also claimed that the US had effectively blocked the strategic waterway, saying, “No ships get through unless we want them to.”
The comments come amid escalating tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global shipping route through which a significant share of the world’s energy supplies passes.
Iran has maintained that it controls the strategic waterway and has restricted access for some vessels since the conflict began. Tehran has also rejected US claims of control over the strait.
The dispute has raised concerns about the impact of the conflict on global trade and energy prices, as any prolonged disruption in the waterway could affect international oil and gas supplies.
Trump’s statement about making the Strait of Hormuz a US territory represents a significant escalation in Washington’s position, although it is unclear what legal or diplomatic process the US administration would use to make such a move.
