Trump Labels Strait of Hormuz ‘New U.S. Territory’ Amid Iran Conflict

United States President Donald Trump has posted an image on Truth Social portraying the Strait of Hormuz as “NEW U.S. Territory”, intensifying his calls for greater American control over the strategic waterway amid the ongoing conflict with Iran.

The graphic, posted on Tuesday, featured a map of the narrow strait between Iran and Oman, with the waterway circled beneath a banner declaring it “NEW U.S. Territory”.

The post came hours after Trump threatened to bomb Oman if it interfered with US efforts concerning the strait. It also followed a statement by Iran’s top negotiator that the waterway would remain closed until Washington met conditions outlined in the June ceasefire agreement.

Trump’s claim has no basis in international law.

The Strait of Hormuz passes through the territorial waters of Iran and Oman and is governed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which guarantees transit passage through international straits.

The UN shipping agency has also rejected any attempt by the United States to impose mandatory tolls or claim territorial authority over the waterway, saying there is no legal mechanism to do so.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry dismissed Trump’s position, insisting that US statements about the strait being reopened did not reflect the situation on the ground.

“The Strait of Hormuz remains blocked and will not be reopened until Iran’s conditions are accepted,” the Persian Gulf Strait Authority said in a statement posted on X.

Trump has repeatedly raised the prospect of US control over the strategic waterway since the conflict began. He previously proposed a 20 per cent fee on cargo passing through the strait, citing what he described as America’s role as “Guardian of the Hormuz Strait”.

The UN shipping agency strongly opposed the proposed charges, stressing that the United States had no legal authority to impose such fees.

Before the conflict, about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies passed through the Strait of Hormuz each day.

However, vessel traffic has reportedly dropped by more than 90 per cent since the conflict began in February, with only 13 ships recorded passing through the waterway over the weekend, according to maritime tracking firm MarineTraffic.

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