Trump Threatens to Claim Strait of Hormuz as U.S. Territory as Iran Pushes Back

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published August 14, 2026

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U.S. President Donald Trump escalated tensions over the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, August 14, saying he could soon declare the strategic waterway U.S. territory, while Iran rejected Washington's threats and insisted that decisions over the strait remain under Tehran's authority.

Speaking in New York, Trump said the United States currently controls passage through the strait because of its naval blockade and suggested he would designate the waterway as U.S. territory after what he described as Iran's defeat. It remained unclear whether his comments represented a formal change in U.S. policy or how such a move could be implemented.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi responded that Tehran would not be intimidated by U.S. threats or displays of force and maintained that Iran would determine whether the Strait of Hormuz is opened or closed.

The confrontation comes as shipping through the strait has fallen sharply. Washington says it can maintain its naval blockade indefinitely and has also signalled tougher economic measures against Iran in the coming week.

Before the war, roughly one fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows passed through the Strait of Hormuz, making any further escalation a significant risk for global energy markets and international shipping.