Trump in outlandish claim over Hormuz Strait as he touts success in Iran – 'US territory'

Donald Trump told a crowd tonight he’ll be “declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States” pretty soon. Appearing at an event in Long Island tonight, the US President said during his speech: “Pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States. True.

“We have to blockade. No ships get through unless we want them to.” Speaking to a cheering crowd, Mr Trump also said Iran had been “very badly defeated”. The US President then mentioned the quick military action taken by the US in Venezuela, which saw the capture of then president Nicolas Maduro. He said: “And how about Venezuela? Venezuela was a one-day war.”

Mr Trump’s comments to law enforcement on Long Island came as, earlier this week, oil prices pushed up once more, touching 90 dollars (£66) a barrel, with the US and Iran appearing to not make much progress towards a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The US President appeared to harden his stance on Monday, saying Tehran should pay reparations for those killed in attacks linked to the Islamic Republic as well as in domestic protests.

He has also recently accused Iran of being “unbelievably duplicitous” in denying talks aimed at ending the conflict were being held. He also dismissed Iran’s claims to control the strategic Strait of Hormuz waterway as “their usual blather”.

Writing on Truth Social, he also added: “Nothing gets through to Iran, unless we want it to, and nothing will get through, unless a Deal, or Total Surrender, is accomplished. Whether Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking of a solution to a problem that they have caused, for decades.”

On the other hand, Iran has continued to try to maintain its stranglehold on the Gulf channel, which had been open before the US and Israel began the conflict in late February, including demanding ships seek permission to transit, attacking vessels and threatening to impose charges.

The disruption to trade through the waterway has driven up fuel and food prices. An interim ceasefire deal collapsed in recent weeks after renewed fighting in the strait, which has been a flashpoint in the war.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on Sunday the sea route “will in no way return to the status it was before February 28”, when the war started.

Addressing the media earlier today, Mr Trump also confirmed that the USS Abraham Lincoln would now be replaced by another aircraft carrier after a deployment that lasted more than 250 days.