President Trump dramatically escalated his claims over the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, posting a map that labeled the strategically vital waterway “new US territory” while declaring that Iranian mines had been cleared and that no additional negotiations with Tehran were currently scheduled.
Trump shared the altered map on Truth Social, reinforcing his recent suggestion that the United States could establish a permanent presence in the strait. In subsequent posts, the president said the crucial shipping route had been de-mined and was operating again, while indicating that Washington had no new talks with the Islamic Republic on its calendar.
The president had first publicly floated the prospect of the United States maintaining permanent control over the Strait of Hormuz during a political appearance on Long Island on Friday.
The map circulated by Trump depicted the waterway between Iran and Oman as “new US territory,” marking a significant rhetorical escalation in his statements about the strategically critical passage.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important maritime routes, with ships traveling through the narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.
Speaking Friday while campaigning for Republican candidates running in New York’s gubernatorial and congressional races, Trump suggested that an official declaration concerning the strait could come after Iran’s defeat.
“After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated — pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States,” Trump said while stumping for Republican candidates in New York’s gubernatorial and congressional elections.
During the same Long Island appearance, Trump defended the economic consequences of his campaign against Iran, arguing that preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons justified Americans temporarily facing higher fuel costs.
The president said accomplishing that objective was worth paying “a tiny little bit more for your gasoline,” adding: “I’ll never apologize. I did the right thing.”
{Matzav.com}
