Trump says he would “pretty soon” designate the Strait of Hormuz as “territory of the United States,” remarks made during police academy event

President Donald Trump said Friday that he would “pretty soon” designate the Strait of Hormuz as “territory of the United States,” in remarks delivered during a speech at a police academy on Long Island, New York, according to The Guardian. The comments were framed as part of the administration’s broader handling of the conflict involving Iran, though the remark’s legal scope and whether it would be followed by formal policy action were not immediately clear.

The president’s statement, as reported, did not specify a timeline for a designation order, the exact legal authority he would invoke, or whether the statement would be implemented through an executive action, a treaty interpretation, or another instrument. It also did not detail how such a designation would affect navigation, enforcement, or existing international arrangements governing maritime passage in the region.

The Strait of Hormuz is a key shipping chokepoint connecting the Persian Gulf with the Arabian Sea. Any change in the practical status of waters used by commercial and military vessels would raise questions about enforcement and public safety, as well as about international legal standards for jurisdiction and freedom of navigation.

Trump’s remarks came amid ongoing U.S. efforts to conclude or otherwise manage the wider confrontation with Iran, with the reported framing suggesting the president was seeking a stronger U.S. posture in the waterway. The Guardian reported that it was not yet clear whether the comments indicated a new policy direction or was intended as a broader threat without immediate implementation.

The administration has previously faced scrutiny over proposals and rhetoric related to maritime and security issues, where federal authority, international commitments, and legal process can all affect what can be done in practice. In the absence of a published legal instrument or formal agency guidance tied to the president’s statement, the immediate effect of the remarks appears limited to the public report they send about the administration’s posture.

If the administration were to pursue an actual designation, implementing it would likely require careful attention to jurisdiction, due process and notice for affected parties, and the operational realities of maritime law enforcement. Commercial shipping and insurers, as well as military planners, typically rely on clear and durable rules rather than standalone statements, especially in contested or high-tempo security environments.

For now, the next step would be determining whether the administration follows the remark with an official action that lays out the legal basis and practical parameters of any jurisdictional claim over the strait, and how that would interact with international navigation and existing U.S. and allied maritime operations in the region.