Trump to Declare Strait of Hormuz US Territory 'Soon'
Donald Trump said the Strait of Hormuz would become part of the US after Iran is defeated and told Americans to expect rising gas prices.
President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he intends to soon designate the Strait of Hormuz as US territory. This declaration came during a rally in Garden City, New York state, where Trump commented, "It's true," adding that the situation with Iran is progressing rapidly. The seriousness of his remarks remains uncertain, and they could potentially signal a new policy direction for the US in its ongoing conflict with Tehran, which has lasted over five months.
In response, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, stated that the nation would not be deterred and that the strategic waterway would continue to be under Iran's control and jurisdiction.
The US and Israel initiated military action against Iran on February 28, with the stated objectives of dismantling Iran's nuclear program and inciting a popular uprising to bring about regime change in the Islamic Republic. Iran retaliated by targeting US allies across the Middle East with drone and missile strikes, and subsequently imposed a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies were previously transported prior to the conflict.
The US responded in kind by establishing its own naval blockade of Iranian ships and ports, leading to a stalemate that has persisted for months, driving up energy prices.
During the rally, Trump also expressed that Americans would need to bear a slight increase in gasoline prices as a reasonable sacrifice to prevent a "very evil" nation from acquiring nuclear weapons. He emphasized that the US blockade of the Hormuz Strait would only permit ships under its consent. In addition to the geopolitical implications, Trump dismissed concerns about the living conditions and mental health struggles of personnel aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, a US aircraft carrier deployed to the Middle East as part of the ongoing war with Iran.
This deployment has been in place for nine months, and there have been reports of service members enduring difficult conditions and contemplating suicide. Trump firmly denied that the carrier's deployment had been prolonged excessively, asserting that it was "not nearly enough" and confirmed that it would be replaced by another vessel possessing similar characteristics.
Written by urgent.news from Tempo.co English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
