Trump Claims Strait of Hormuz as 'American Territory,' Escalating Iran Standoff

On 22 August 2026, President Trump said he views the Strait of Hormuz as "American territory," going beyond his July assertion of "total control" of the waterway. Iran has separately claimed the strait is under its own management. Roughly 20% of global oil flows transit the chokepoint. The sovereignty claim has no precedent in modern US Gulf policy.