Event details
Speaking to reporters during remarks in Nassau County, New York, President Trump said he may soon declare the Strait of Hormuz 'territory of the United States,' asserting Iran is 'being very badly defeated.' He acknowledged having used the U.S. military 'a little bit more than I wanted to,' saying the goal was preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons capability.
Context
A formal U.S. sovereignty claim over the strait would go beyond the existing naval blockade and stalled reopening talks, converting a shipping-lane dispute into a territorial one that Iran, Oman and other Gulf states would almost certainly reject, further complicating any near-term deal to restore transit and ease the oil-price spike.
- Local time
- 6:50 PM New York time, Aug 14, 2026
- Location
- Nassau County, New York, USA
- Relationship
- Update