President Trump calls the Strait of Hormuz “American territory” amid U.S. blockade of Iran shipping

President Donald Trump said at a rally in South Carolina that he views the Strait of Hormuz as “an American territory,” according to a report from The Guardian. The remarks came as the United States continues military efforts described by the report as a blockade of Iran’s shipping and ports and as the Trump administration continues to pursue ways to end the war between the United States and Iran, the report said.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow chokepoint connecting the Persian Gulf to international waters, making it a strategic route for oil and maritime traffic. In the South Carolina appearance, Trump characterized the strait in sovereignty terms, a framing the report tied to the broader posture of U.S. pressure on Iran at sea.

The Guardian report also said Trump made the comments alongside other remarks that it described as joking about bombing Iran. The report did not provide additional official documentation for the specific statements in the packet provided for this story, and the full transcript or video was not included.

The U.S. military blockade referenced in the report is central to the practical implications of Trump’s comments, because enforcement at a key maritime passage is linked to questions about naval authority, rules of engagement, and how U.S. actions are communicated internationally. The report framed the blockade as ongoing while the administration works to end the wider conflict with Iran.

Officials and lawmakers have previously debated how U.S. maritime operations around Iran should be legally and operationally justified, including the scope of naval enforcement and the conditions under which shipping can be inspected, redirected, or stopped. In this case, the packet provided does not include a contemporaneous White House statement, presidential transcript excerpt, or Department of Defense order clarifying the legal basis for any specific enforcement measures tied to Trump’s remarks.

The statement’s political framing can also affect how U.S. diplomacy, messaging to shipping companies, and coordination with allies are handled, particularly when rhetoric suggests a form of U.S. territorial control rather than a narrower concept of security operations in international waters. The report indicates the remarks occurred during an active period of U.S. pressure, which can heighten scrutiny of how far enforcement measures extend and how they are explained.

Because the available material is limited to a secondary report of the rally remarks, additional verification would be needed to confirm the exact wording, the context of any surrounding questions or statements, and whether the administration issued an official response defining how the “American territory” description should be interpreted operationally and legally.