‘Once we’re done beating Iran, I’ll declare Strait of Hormuz US territory,’ Trump says

Donald Trump said Friday that once Iran is defeated, he would declare the highly strategic Strait of Hormuz ‘’territory of the United States,’’ in comments that appeared to be partly joking. He also defended his decision to go to war to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, saying he would ‘’never apologize’’ despite rising fuel prices faced by Americans.

’’Once we’re done beating Iran … soon I’ll declare the Strait of Hormuz as United States territory,’’ the U.S. president said with a slight smile during a rally in Garden City, near New York.

Trump has repeatedly claimed that the United States has ‘’control’’ of the Strait of Hormuz, a claim Tehran has called a ‘’lie.’’ In reality, the strategic passage for global oil trade has been closed by Iran since the beginning of the war, while the United States has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi responded Saturday, saying the Strait of Hormuz ‘’will remain Iranian.’’

’’The Strait of Hormuz has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian,’’ Gharibabadi said on X, adding that the maritime route ‘’will only be opened or closed on Iran’s orders.’’

Iran will ‘’never have nuclear weapons,’’ Trump also said. ‘’If you have to pay a little more’’ for gasoline, ‘’it’s OK. … I will never apologize. I made the right decision,’’ he said.

Compared with prewar levels, U.S. gas prices were up more than 35 percent on Friday. The conflict is unpopular, while household discontent over the cost of living has contributed to a sharp decline in Trump’s approval ratings.

Trump’s defense of the war in Iran came shortly after Vice President JD Vance offered a slightly different description of the administration’s objectives.

’’Oil is down and it is much lower than the peaks reached at the beginning of the conflict. That’s goal No. 1, to ensure that oil and gas remain cheap for Americans,’’ Vance said on Fox News.

’’And then goal No. 2 is obviously to ensure that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons,’’ Vance added. ‘’I think we are achieving both of these goals.’’