Trump Repeats Claim Strait of Hormuz Is US Territory; Iran Vows Closure

Tensions between the United States and Iran escalated sharply on August 23, 2026, as President Donald Trump reiterated his claim that the Strait of Hormuz is U.S. territory, while a senior Iranian official declared the strategic waterway will remain closed until Washington changes its behavior. The dueling statements have further strained diplomatic efforts and dampened market expectations for an imminent agreement to reopen the vital shipping lane.

Trump posted a map on Truth Social depicting the Strait of Hormuz as "new American territory," a claim he has made repeatedly since first floating the idea at a rally in New York on August 15. He shared the same map on August 18 and again on August 23. "After we finish defeating Iran, which is suffering a very severe defeat, I will soon announce that the Strait of Hormuz will be land belonging to the United States," Trump said at the New York event. He has also stated that the U.S. "fully controls" the passage.

Iran has firmly rejected these assertions. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, told Iranian state television that the strait is closed and will not reopen until the U.S. fulfills its...