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Trump says will 'soon' declare Strait of Hormuz U.S. territory
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On August 14, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump stated at a political rally in New York that he would 'soon' declare the Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory, following the defeat of Iran. The U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28, 2026, aiming to end Iran's nuclear program. In response, Iran established de facto control over much of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy shipping route. The U.S. Navy has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports, and Trump claimed no ships pass without U.S. permission. The announcement signals a major escalation in the ongoing conflict and a unilateral claim over international waters.
Source report
Updated - August 15, 2026 07:35 am IST Garden City, United States | AFP
President Donald Trump departs after speaking at the David Mack Center for Training and Intelligence on August 14, 2026, in New York. | Photo Credit: AP
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday (August 14, 2026) said he would "soon" declare the Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory after defeating Iran.
"After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated — pretty soon I'll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States," he said with a chuckle during a political rally at a police academy in New York state.
"It's true," he added.
Also read | West Asia war updates on August 15, 2026
Mr. Trump, together with Israel, launched a war against Iran on February 28 with the stated aims of ending the country's controversial nuclear program and sparking a popular uprising.
However, Iran struck back by establishing de facto control over much of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital passageway for large amounts of global energy and other commodity shipping.
The United States remains locked in a stalemate with Iran over the strait, with Iran denying access to much of the civilian shipping and the U.S. Navy mounting a blockade of Iranian ports in an attempt to cripple its economy.
"We have the blockade. No ships get through unless we want them to," Mr. Trump told the cheering crowd of supporters and police.
Related: What does the U.S.-Iran agreement say? | Explained
Published - August 15, 2026 07:34 am IST
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The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.Western
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