Donald Trump posted a map of the Strait of Hormuz, declaring it new U.S. territory, reinforcing his previous threat to make this shipping route U.S. territory.
On Tuesday, 18 Aug 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump posted a new image on Truth Social showing the Strait of Hormuz with the caption "NEW US Territory," reiterating his earlier threat to claim the strait as U.S. territory.
Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz since the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran on 28 Feb, and negotiations to reopen the strait have yet to make progress.
Trump first mentioned the idea of the U.S. seizing control of the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, 14 Aug, joking that he would soon declare the area U.S. territory, prompting an immediate Iranian response that the strait "will remain Iranian territory."
Trump brought up this idea again on Monday, 17 Aug, during an interview with reporters in the White House's Oval Office, signaling that he considered it a good idea.
This is not the first time Trump has threatened to annex foreign territories when facing foreign policy challenges; since returning to power in 2025, he has threatened to make Canada the 51st U.S. state, seize Greenland, and hinted at controlling the Gaza Strip, though none of these threats were acted upon.
Before the Iran war broke out, the Strait of Hormuz was an international waterway open to free navigation. Now, Iran insists it will not reopen the strait until the U.S. meets all its demands, including lifting the blockade on Iranian ports, ending oil sanctions, unfreezing seized assets, and compensating for war damages.
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Source:cna