US President Donald Trump called the Strait of Hormuz an "American territory" on Friday, renewing his claim over the strategic waterway as Washington's conflict with Iran approaches the six-month mark without a peace agreement.
“We don't even know if we won, because I view the Strait of Hormuz as an American territory right now,” Trump told supporters at a rally in South Carolina, where he was campaigning for Senator Darline Graham.
Trump also said Iran was eager to reach an agreement with Washington, but suggested the US was in no hurry to strike a deal. "They wanna make a deal so badly. We don't even know if we want [one] because I view the Strait of Hormuz as an American territory right now," he said.
Trump said the US had stopped Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, adding: “We went down and stopped them — they'll never have a nuclear weapon.”
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The US and Iran have yet to reach a peace agreement after months of conflict, while Washington continues to impose a blockade aimed at restricting Iran's shipping and oil exports. Reuters reported this week that Iranian oil shipments have fallen sharply since the conflict began in February.
The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is one of the world's most important energy routes. Before the conflict, roughly a fifth of global oil trade passed through the waterway, making disruptions there a key risk for international energy markets.
Trump also described Iran's leadership situation as one of the main obstacles facing his administration as it seeks an end to the conflict.
"It's actually one of my biggest problems: I don't know who the hell to deal with in Iran,” Trump said. "It's the only country in the world where nobody wants to be president," he added. "They say, ‘Who wants to be president?' ‘No, no, I don't want to be president.'"
Trump's remarks were the latest in a series of statements asserting US control over the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier this month, he said Washington's blockade meant ships could not pass through the waterway without US approval. He subsequently told reporters he liked the idea of formally declaring the strait a US territory and posted a map on Truth Social labelling the waterway "New US Territory."
Iran has rejected Trump's territorial claims.
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