Donald Trump to declare Hormuz US territory 'soon'

President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he plans to declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory in the near future. The statement came during a rally in Garden City, New York state, where Trump said, "It's true," when referring to his intention to make the Hormuz Strait a part of the United States. It remains unclear if his remarks were made in jest or if they represent a shift in US policy towards Iran, a conflict that has been ongoing for more than five months.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, rejected Trump's declaration, stating that Iran would not be intimidated and that the strategic waterway would remain under its control and authority. The US and Israel initiated the war against Iran on February 28, with the goal of ending Iran's nuclear program and sparking a popular uprising to force regime change in the Islamic Republic.

In response to Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments, the US has deployed naval forces to block Iranian ships and ports.

The stalemate over the vital waterway has led to soaring energy prices, and the economic fallout from the war is expected to be a significant issue in the upcoming midterm elections. During his rally, Trump urged Americans to accept that they would have to pay a small increase in gasoline prices to prevent a "very evil country" from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

He also dismissed concerns about the living conditions aboard a US aircraft carrier deployed to the Middle East, stating that the deployment was "not nearly enough" and that the ship would be replaced by another "very similar" vessel.