Amid the escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, President Donald Trump described the Strait of Hormuz—one of the world’s most critical oil chokepoints—as an “American territory".
Speaking at a rally in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Trump said Iran was eager to reach an agreement to end the ongoing conflict, but questioned whether Washington still wanted a deal.
“They want to make a deal so badly, we don’t even know if we want [a deal],” Trump said, according to Al Jazeera. “I view the Strait of Hormuz as an American territory right now. It’s an American territory.”
Shipping through the strategic waterway has been severely disrupted since Iran’s military blockade began following the outbreak of the war, rattling global oil markets and raising concerns about inflation in several countries. Before the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, the Strait of Hormuz carried roughly one-fifth of global oil and LNG supplies.
Earlier, before departing for Myrtle Beach, Trump claimed that the United States had “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz and appeared to endorse the idea of declaring the strategic waterway a US territory.
“We’re just going to sort of see what happens, and we have total control,” Trump said. “If you look at the blockade, we have total control of that entire region having to do with the Strait of Hormuz.”
Trump’s latest remarks came as Washington prepares to announce new economic sanctions targeting Iran and potentially its key trading partners, including China.
China accounted for more than 80 per cent of Iran’s seaborne oil exports in 2025, according to data from analytics firm Kpler.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is scheduled to hold a press conference on Monday to unveil what Washington has described as the “toughest sanctions in history.”
