Trump Says He Will Declare Strait of Hormuz US Territory After Defeating Iran
SCMP · 2 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
President Donald Trump announced at a political rally in Garden City, New York on Friday that he would "soon" declare the Strait of Hormuz part of US territory after defeating Iran. The remarks came amid an ongoing US-Israel military campaign launched on February 28 against Iran, which has responded by establishing de facto control over the strategic waterway. The US Navy is currently maintaining a blockade of Iranian ports while Iran denies access to much of the civilian shipping passing through the strait, which handles roughly 20 percent of global oil and LNG shipments. Trump also urged Americans to accept slightly higher petrol prices as the cost of preventing "a very evil country" from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Key Points
- Trump made the declaration at a political rally held at a police academy in Garden City, New York on Friday
- The US, together with Israel, launched military operations against Iran on February 28 with stated aims of ending Iran's nuclear programme
- Iran has established de facto control over much of the Strait of Hormuz in response to the US-Israel offensive
- The US Navy is mounting a blockade of Iranian ports while Iran denies access to civilian vessels using the strait
- Approximately 20 percent of global oil and LNG shipments normally transit through the Strait of Hormuz
Why It Matters
The Strait of Hormuz controls roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and LNG shipments, making Trump's declaration a potentially explosive escalation that could further destabilise global energy markets . The timing poses political risks for Trump as Democrats seek to weaponise rising fuel prices as an election issue ahead of November's midterm elections .
The Strait of Hormuz controls roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and LNG shipments, making Trump's declaration a potentially explosive escalation that could further destabilise global energy markets . The timing poses political risks for Trump as Democrats seek to weaponise rising fuel prices as an election issue ahead of November's midterm elections .