Myrtle Beach, South Carolina – Donald Trump called the strait of Hormuz "an American territory" on Friday, as the US continues its military blockade of Iran's shipping and ports while Trump's administration struggles to end its war with the country.
"We don't even know if we won, because I view the strait of Hormuz as an American territory right now," Trump said, addressing a crowd in South Carolina. He was campaigning for senator Darline Graham, who is running to permanently fill her late brother Lindsey Graham's Senate seat.
Later in his remarks, Trump joked about bombing Iran.
"It's a Friday night. We have plenty of time," Trump said before reciting The Snake, a poem he frequently uses at campaign rallies to underscore his anti-immigrant policies. "What the hell do I have to do? Go back and bomb Iran a little bit more?"
Key developments:
- Trump's claim: Strait of Hormuz is "an American territory"
- Location: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina rally
- Context: US military blockade of Iran continues
- Joke: Trump joked about "bombing Iran a little bit more"
- Blockade status: 68 commercial vessels redirected by US forces
- Conflict timeline: Nearing six-month mark with no peace deal
- Oil impact: Strait carries ~20% of world's seaborne oil
- Previous threats: Trump threatened territory declaration last week
- Iran response: Deputy foreign minister calls comments "delusions"
- Social media: Trump posted map labeling waterway "new U.S. territory"
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The US and Iran have failed to negotiate a peace deal as the conflict approaches the six-month mark. The Trump administration is seeking to squeeze Iran financially, restricting access to the strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the country's oil exports. Roughly one-fifth of the world's seaborne oil supply typically passes through the waterway, which is bordered by Iran and Oman.
Trump's Territorial Claim
Trump threatened to declare the strait a US territory last week.
"Essentially, that's what it is. We have the blockade. No ships get through unless we want them to," he said during a speech at a New York police academy.
"We control it with the blockade, and I like the idea of declaring it a territory," he told reporters on Monday when asked about that comment.
He also posted an image of a map to social media labeling the waterway as a "new U.S. territory".
Iran's Response
Iran's deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, dismissed Trump's comments as "delusions".
🌊 The Big Picture
Donald Trump has escalated his rhetoric on the Strait of Hormuz, calling the vital waterway "an American territory" during a rally in South Carolina. The comments come as the US maintains a military blockade of Iran's shipping, with American forces having redirected 68 commercial vessels. With the conflict nearing the six-month mark and no peace deal in sight, Trump's territorial claim – dismissed by Iran as "delusions" – adds a new layer of tension to the already volatile situation in the Gulf, where roughly one-fifth of the world's seaborne oil supply passes through the strait.
What's Next
Key developments to watch:
- US-Iran negotiations: Status of peace talks
- Blockade enforcement: Further vessel redirections
- Iran response: Potential retaliation or escalation
- International reaction: Global response to territorial claim
- Oil market: Impact on global oil prices
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