Trump To Claim New US Territory Where?

President Donald Trump says he plans to take an extraordinary step involving the Strait of Hormuz, claiming Friday that he will eventually declare the strategically important waterway a U.S. territory.

Trump made the statement during remarks on Long Island, New York, where he was discussing his administration’s efforts to address crime in the United States. He did not provide details about how such a move would be carried out or what legal authority he believes would allow the United States to claim the waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz is not currently under U.S. jurisdiction. The narrow passage sits between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, with Iran bordering its northern side and Oman along its southern side.

The waterway is one of the most important shipping routes in the world. Roughly one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies move through the strait, making any disruption there a major concern for energy markets and countries that rely on Middle Eastern fuel exports.

The ongoing war between the United States and Iran and the subsequent closure of the strait have already contributed to higher energy prices around the world. The situation has also become one of the most significant points of confrontation between Washington and Tehran.

Trump has repeatedly insisted since the conflict began roughly six months ago that the United States has control over the Strait of Hormuz. His administration has deployed a U.S. naval blockade in the area on two occasions, with Trump arguing that American military power gives the United States effective control over the movement of oil exports through the region.

Iran has strongly rejected that characterization.

Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority responded Wednesday to Trump’s claims, arguing that the question of who controls the waterway does not change the current situation. Iranian officials have maintained that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and will not reopen unless Iran’s demands are accepted.

Trump’s latest declaration goes significantly further than his previous statements about American control of the waterway. He did not explain whether he was proposing a permanent territorial claim, some form of U.S. administration or another arrangement involving the strategically vital passage.

Any attempt by the United States to claim the Strait of Hormuz as its territory would raise major questions involving international law, sovereignty and the existing jurisdiction of Iran and Oman.

For now, Trump’s comments provide few details about what such a move would actually look like. But given the importance of the waterway to the global energy market and the ongoing confrontation with Iran, any attempt to change its political status would carry potentially significant international consequences.