President Donald Trump said Friday that he plans to declare the Strait of Hormuz a “territory” of the United States, a remark that is sure to inflame tensions as the war with Iran drags on and ceasefire negotiations flounder.
Trump made the comment while speaking at an event in Garden City, New York, in support of Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman.
“After we finish defeating Iran, I will be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States,” Trump said to a resounding cheer from the crowd of law enforcement professionals.
The claim on its face has no clear path forward. Iran has claimed control over the strait since the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Before the Iran war began in February, the strait operated under international maritime transit rules, allowing over 100 ships to pass through daily. Iran had threatened to shut down the strait in the past, including during a 2011 dispute, and finally did so this year — escalating tensions with the U.S.
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The U.S. did control the Panama Canal for nearly a century, acquiring the waterway through the Hay-Bunau-Varilla treaty, rather than through a war. The country eventually ceded full control to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999.
Trump also acknowledged on Friday that the conflict — particularly the steep decline in shipping traffic through the narrow Middle East waterway — had led to higher prices for a range of consumer goods, including gasoline.
“For you to pay a tiny little bit more for your gasoline, just remember you’re doing it so that a very evil country cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “Remember when you have to pay a little bit more, you’re paying $4 — I’ll never apologize.” he added.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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