Donald Trump declared the Strait of Hormuz "an American territory" and said the US controls the region with a military blockade during a rally in South Carolina on August 21, 2026 [1, 2, 3]. He said, "We don’t even know if we won, because I view the strait of Hormuz as an American territory right now" [1]. Trump claimed, "We have total control of that entire region having to do with the Strait of Hormuz, and that means well into it, the land areas" [4].

The US military blockade has redirected 68 commercial vessels passing through the strait as of August 21, 2026, according to US officials [1]. Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains about 90% below prewar levels due to security risks and attacks on commercial shipping [3]. The strait is a vital waterway bordered by Iran and Oman, through which roughly one-fifth of the world's seaborne oil supply typically passes [1, 4].

The US-Iran conflict began in late February 2026 when US and Israeli forces launched surprise attacks on Iran, followed by Iranian strikes on Israel and US bases [4, 3]. The war is approaching six months in duration as of August 2026 [1, 4, 3].

In June 2026, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding intended to cease hostilities and restore navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, but the deal collapsed over implementation disputes [3].

Trump said Iran would like to make a deal with the US but is "not ready to make the right deal, in my opinion" [4, 2, 3]. He described Iran’s economic and military condition as dire: "They have no money, they have no navy, they have no air force, they are not paying their soldiers, they're not paying their police. They have 350% inflation" [3]. The US has vowed to impose the toughest financial sanctions in history targeting Iran’s leadership and economy [4, 3].

Iran’s deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi dismissed Trump’s claims about control over the Strait of Hormuz as "delusions" [1]. Trump also joked about bombing Iran during his August 21 rally [1].

The blockade and military operations continue as the conflict nears its six-month mark, with no immediate resolution in sight [1, 4, 3].