Trump says will ‘soon’ declare Hormuz strait US territory

President Donald Trump announced on Friday his intention to soon declare the Strait of Hormuz a part of the United States territory, following Iran's defeat. Speaking at a political rally in New York, Trump joked about the prospect of making the strategic waterway part of the U.S. during his speech at the Nassau County Police Academy.

The former president claimed that Iran's defeat was "pretty soon" and that he would officially declare the Strait of Hormuz as a U.S. territory. Trump's comments come after the U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28, with the primary objectives of halting Iran's nuclear program and inciting a popular uprising in the country.

However, Iran has countered the U.S. by taking control of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for global energy and commodity shipping. The U.S. and Iran are currently in a stalemate over the strait, with Iran restricting access for civilian ships and the U.S. Navy imposing a blockade on Iranian ports to weaken its economy. Trump told the crowd of supporters and police, "We have the blockade. No ships get through unless we want them to."