Trump Doubles Down on Declaring Strait of Hormuz U.S. Territory as Iran Threatens to Break U.S. Blockade

President Donald Trump doubled down Monday on declaring the Strait of Hormuz U.S. territory, asserting that Washington has “total control” of the strategic waterway as Tehran threatened a military attack to break the U.S. naval blockade and declared a shift toward a more offensive posture.

“I just think it’s a great idea,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked to elaborate on his suggestion last week that the strait could be declared U.S. territory.

Trump repeatedly pointed to the blockade as the basis for American control.

“We control it. We control it with the blockade,” he said. “And I like the idea of declaring it a territory. We could do that. We have total control over the strait.”

.@POTUS on the Strait of Hormuz: "I like the idea of declaring it a territory. We have total control over the Strait." pic.twitter.com/xovV3kc8Di

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 17, 2026

Trump said Iran could still prove a “nuisance” by placing mines in the water, but described the blockade as “very effective” and touted the amount of oil now moving through the waterway.

Trump on Iran:

They want to make a deal, but they are not going to make the kind of a deal that I feel is necessary. pic.twitter.com/nPwOAqCB8v

— Clash Report (@clashreport) August 17, 2026

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