{
  "id": 1706608,
  "title": "Trump declares Strait of Hormuz as 'new US territory' day after MoU deadline expires",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/trump-declares-strait-of-hormuz-as-new-us-territory-day-after-mou",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T12:38:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-905890"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On the day after a Memorandum of Understanding deadline lapsed, US President Donald Trump asserted that the Strait of Hormuz would become a new US territory in a post on Truth Social. Reporters inquired during a Monday Oval Office meeting whether Trump planned to declare the strategic waterway as such. Trump concurred, stating that \"we control it through the blockade\" and expressing his preference for designating it as US territory. He cited the impact of the US military's naval blockade, noting that \"we're taking out millions of barrels of oil a week. If you look at the numbers we're getting, the strait is open, oil prices are going down, and they'll continue to go down, unless we decide to do something much more drastic than what we're doing now.\"\n\nIn response to queries about potential negotiations with Iran, Trump stated that Tehran was interested in a deal but unlikely to agree to terms he deemed acceptable. He added that the recent use of B-2 bombers would prolong Iran's nuclear weapon development timeline. When asked about extending the MoU, Trump refrained from a direct answer and shook his head no. Dr. Majed al Ansari, a spokesperson for Qatar's Foreign Ministry, indicated on Tuesday that mediators were awaiting a bilateral agreement between Oman and Iran before resuming broader talks between the US and Iran. He emphasized that reaching an accord on the Strait of Hormuz would simplify the resumption of discussions.",
  "summary": "When asked whether he was working to extend the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Trump declined to answer and shook his head no.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 11,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Iran threatens to go on offensive in Strait of Hormuz if diplomacy with US fails",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/iran-threatens-to-go-on-offensive-in-strait-of-hormuz-if-diplomacy-1566180",
        "published": "2026-08-17T21:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Vessel hit by ‘unknown projectile’ in Strait of Hormuz, UKMTO says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/vessel-hit-by-unknown-projectile-in-strait-of-hormuz-ukmto-says",
        "published": "2026-08-18T06:35:43.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Middle East Eye",
        "title": "Hormuz Strait to remain closed until US meets interim deal conditions, says Iran",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/hormuz-strait-to-remain-closed-until-us-meets-interim-deal-conditions",
        "published": "2026-08-18T09:00:52.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al-Monitor",
        "title": "Hormuz Strait to remain shut until U.S. meets interim deal conditions, Iran says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/hormuz-strait-to-remain-shut-until-u-s-meets-interim-deal-conditions",
        "published": "2026-08-18T09:46:32.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Euronews",
        "title": "Ship hit in Hormuz as Iran's top negotiator says strait to stay shut",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/ship-hit-in-hormuz-as-irans-top-negotiator-says-strait-to-stay-shut",
        "published": "2026-08-18T09:52:08.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Jerusalem Post",
        "title": "Hormuz Strait to remain closed until US meets interim deal conditions, Iran's top negotiator says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/hormuz-strait-to-remain-closed-until-us-meets-interim-deal-conditions-1684790",
        "published": "2026-08-18T10:10:50.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Arutz Sheva - Israel National News",
        "title": "Trump posts map labeling Strait of Hormuz as 'New US Territory'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/trump-posts-map-labeling-strait-of-hormuz-as-new-us-territory",
        "published": "2026-08-18T11:24:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CBS News",
        "title": "Trump threatens longtime U.S. ally Oman amid Strait of Hormuz stalemate",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/trump-threatens-longtime-u-s-ally-oman-amid-strait-of-hormuz-stalemate",
        "published": "2026-08-18T12:25:40.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Hill",
        "title": "Ship attacked while exiting Strait of Hormuz",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/ship-attacked-while-exiting-strait-of-hormuz",
        "published": "2026-08-18T12:46:36.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "Trump declares Strait of Hormuz new US territory in social media post",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/trump-declares-strait-of-hormuz-new-us-territory-in-social-media-post",
        "published": "2026-08-18T14:02:33.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}