Trump Says US Will Declare Strait of Hormuz American Territory, Won’t Apologize for Oil Surge

President Donald Trump said the US will soon declare the Strait of Hormuz to be American territory.

Speaking at a police academy on Long Island, New York, on August 14, Trump said the move would come after the US “completely defeats” Iran, the Guardian reported. He added that the US is already effectively blockading the strait and that no ship can pass through without the US government’s permission.

Iran responded immediately. Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, wrote on X that Tehran would not yield to US threats or shows of force. He added that decisions on whether the Strait of Hormuz is open or closed fall entirely under Iran’s sovereign authority.

As the war drags on, global oil prices have surged, fueling voter frustration in the US as gasoline prices approach $4 a gallon. Trump brushed off the criticism, saying the action was intended to prevent Iran — which he called the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism — from acquiring nuclear weapons. He said he would not apologize even if gasoline prices rose a little further and insisted he had done the right thing.