President Donald Trump told a rally in New York on Aug. 14 that, after defeating Iran, he will “soon” declare the Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi replied on X that the waterway will remain under Iranian command, warning the strait will stay closed until Tehran’s conditions are met, heightening shipping risk.
Trump repeated the claim at a police‑academy rally on Aug. 15, adding that the United States already controls the blockade and will let ships pass only at its discretion. Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority said the strait remains blocked, and Iranian officials listed demands for reopening, including an end to regional conflicts, sanctions relief, frozen‑asset release and war‑damage compensation. On Aug. 15 ADNOC reported a vessel attack in the strait, blaming Iran.
The standoff keeps a vital chokepoint that moves roughly 20% of global oil and LNG supplies under dispute, sustaining elevated energy prices and adding political pressure on Trump ahead of the November midterms. U.S. Vice‑President J.D. Vance emphasized low‑price fuel as a priority, while markets monitor the risk of further vessel attacks and possible escalation.
A White House official later described Trump’s remark as a joke, contrasting with the president’s insistence that the statement was “true.” Iran also disputes the U.S. claim that it controls the blockade, maintaining that any opening of the strait depends on Tehran’s terms.