Trump says he may declare Strait of Hormuz US territory, White House calls it a joke

During an August 14, 2026 speech in New York, US President Donald Trump claimed he would soon declare the strategic Strait of Hormuz a US territory, boasting that a US naval blockade has established total control over the waterway. While a White House official quickly clarified that Trump was joking, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi rejected the claim, asserting the strait remains under Iranian command. The rhetorical escalation comes amid an ongoing war that began on February 28, 2026, which has reduced shipping traffic through the strait to 20% of pre-war levels and pushed US gasoline prices to a record August average of $4.08 per gallon.

Trump Hormuz territory claim

• ▪During a speech at the Nassau County Police Academy in Garden City, New York on August 14, 2026, US President Donald Trump stated he would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States.
• ▪US President Donald Trump claimed that the United States has total control over the Strait of Hormuz and maintains a blockade preventing ships from passing through without US permission.

Iranian government response

• ▪Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi rejected US President Donald Trump's claims on August 15, 2026, stating that the Strait of Hormuz is Iranian and will only open or close under Iran's authority.
• ▪Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated on August 15, 2026, that Iran has not decided to resume direct negotiations with the United States, and that messages exchanged via Qatar and Pakistan do not constitute active negotiations.
• ▪Iran's central military command dismissed claims of US control over the Strait of Hormuz as baseless lies and fabrications on August 13, 2026.

US naval blockade operations

• ▪The conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran began on February 28, 2026, when US and Israeli forces launched military strikes against Iran to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
• ▪The United States and Iran exchanged direct military strikes from July 8 to 24, 2026, with US forces striking targets inside Iran and Tehran retaliating against US facilities in Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait.
• ▪The United States Navy has established a blockade of Iranian ports and shipping to exert economic pressure on Tehran, while Iran has restricted civilian shipping access through the Strait of Hormuz.

Strait shipping disruption impact

• ▪The average US price of gasoline reached $4.08 per gallon on August 14, 2026, representing a 37% increase since the start of the US-Iran war and marking the highest August average on record according to AAA.
• ▪According to Kpler data cited by CNN, only 3,371 vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz during the first 166 days of the war, representing approximately 20% of pre-war shipping traffic volumes.
• ▪A Pakistan-brokered ceasefire was agreed upon by the United States and Iran in April 2026, followed by a June 17, 2026 agreement to launch negotiations, which subsequently stalled over security and navigation disputes.

5 sources