Donald Trump said at a rally in South Carolina on Friday that he views the Strait of Hormuz as an American territory, putting U.S. territories at the center of remarks that also touched on Iran. His comments came as the US continued a blockade of Iran's shipping and ports and as American forces had redirected 68 commercial vessels by Friday.
Trump said, “We don’t even know if we won, because I view the strait of Hormuz as an American territory right now.” He also said, “What the hell do I have to do? Go back and bomb Iran a little bit more?”
Trump's blockade argument
Trump had already signaled the same idea before Friday. Last week, he threatened to declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory, then told reporters on Monday, “We control it with the blockade, and I like the idea of declaring it a territory.”
He used similar language during a speech at a New York police academy, saying, “Essentially, that’s what it is. We have the blockade. No ships get through unless we want them to.” The claim sets up a practical question that matters for shipping: whether the blockade remains a military tool or becomes part of a wider political claim over the waterway.
Kazem Gharibabadi's response
Kazem Gharibabadi dismissed Trump's comments as “delusions.” The remark is part of a wider dispute as the conflict approaches the six-month mark and the US and Iran have failed to negotiate a peace deal.
The Strait of Hormuz is bordered by Iran and Oman and typically carries roughly one-fifth of the world's seaborne oil supply. That is why the blockade has become the immediate pressure point, with Centcom saying American forces had redirected 68 commercial vessels as of Friday to comply with it.
What follows from Trump's statement is not a new legal change, but a sharper public claim layered on top of an active blockade. For shipping, the immediate issue is whether the restriction continues to hold at the same level, because the route remains central to Iran's oil exports and to traffic moving through the strait.
