Trump: Soon I will declare the Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory

US President Donald Trump announced on Friday the United States’ intention to deliver a “strong economic blow” to Iran, while emphasizing the continuation of a naval blockade against the country, affirming that Washington will maintain economic and maritime pressure on Tehran. In remarks to the US network Fox News, Trump said, “We will deliver a strong economic blow to Iran, and I don’t care whether it is before or after the midterm elections.”

In a series of strongly worded statements regarding the Strait of Hormuz, the US president announced that he would soon reveal a step concerning the status of the strategic waterway, stating, “Soon I will declare the Strait of Hormuz to be US territory,” adding, “No ships will pass unless we allow them to do so.” Trump described the naval blockade as a “wall of steel,” referencing Washington’s hardline approach in enforcing maritime restrictions on Iran.

The White House had previously affirmed its commitment to continuing sanctions against Iran and working to cripple its economy, noting that Washington has “more pressure tools” that can be used against Tehran.

For his part, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States is preparing to impose “unprecedented” measures against Iran, calling for anticipation of further announcements in the coming week. In a television interview, Bessent added, “We will apply measures unlike any seen before in the history of economic isolation imposed on any country,” clarifying that the anticipated actions will combine an economic isolation “unprecedented in world history” with the continuation of the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, preventing any goods from entering or leaving Iranian ports.

These US statements reflect a trend toward escalating pressure on Iran and a current lack of movement toward easing economic and maritime measures, amid the ongoing and intensifying confrontation between Washington and Tehran.