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Trump says he will declare Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory as blockade tensions spike
Developing
What we know
Speaking Friday in New York, President Donald Trump said that after “we finish defeating Iran,” he would “pretty soon” declare the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States. Iran’s deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi rejected the claim, saying the waterway “cannot be taken over by a tweet, nor by an aircraft carrier.”
Separately, transit through Hormuz appeared near a standstill on Friday after two Abu Dhabi National Oil Company vessels were attacked Thursday evening (UAE blamed Iran; Tehran had no immediate comment). U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Navy could maintain its retaliatory blockade of Iranian ports “indefinitely” by rotating ships; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent previewed further economic isolation measures.
What's confirmed
- Trump publicly said he plans to declare Hormuz U.S. territory after defeating Iran (Al Jazeera, CNN live updates).
- Iranian official Gharibabadi publicly rejected any U.S. claim over the strait.
- ADNOC reported two vessels attacked in the strait Thursday evening; UAE blamed Iran (CNA/Reuters).
- Hegseth said the U.S. Navy can sustain an indefinite blockade rotation; Bessent previewed new financial measures (CNA/Reuters).
What's still developing
- Whether any legal or operational step follows Trump’s “territory” remarks.
- Pace of shipping recovery and the substance of next-week U.S. economic measures.