Trump's Bold Threat to Claim the Strait of Hormuz: Is It Even Possible?

The U.S. president has once again stunned observers

The U.S. president has once again stunned observers with a provocative statement aimed at Tehran, suggesting that Washington could unilaterally declare the Strait of Hormuz American territory. The remark, made amid ongoing tensions and no clear resolution to the conflict, raises immediate questions about international law, military reality, and diplomatic fallout.

At first glance, the idea appears legally untenable. The strait is not a barren patch of ocean; it is a vital international waterway bordered by Iran and Oman, governed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Under that framework, coastal states hold sovereign rights over their territorial waters, and foreign vessels enjoy the right of transit passage. No single nation can simply annex a strait, especially one that carries roughly a fifth of global oil consumption daily.

Practically speaking, enforcing such a claim would require a massive naval blockade, risking direct confrontation with Iranian forces, which have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to disrupt shipping through asymmetric tactics. The U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet is formidable, but a permanent occupation of the strait would stretch resources thin and invite retaliation not just from Iran, but also from China and India, whose energy lifelines depend on open passage.

Diplomatically, the threat undermines Washington’s credi…

Diplomatically, the threat undermines Washington’s credibility among Gulf allies. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other partners rely on the strait’s neutrality and would likely view a U.S. power grab as reckless destabilization. Even Israel, a close ally, has not endorsed such a move, preferring covert operations over open declarations of maritime sovereignty.

The statement may be a negotiating tactic—an attempt to pressure Tehran into concessions on its nuclear program—but it also risks backfiring. Hardliners in Iran could use the threat to rally domestic support, while moderates lose any incentive to engage in talks. The region already teeters on the edge of a broader war, and careless rhetoric only accelerates that slide.

In the end, the president’s words may carry no legal weight, but their political impact is real. The question is not whether the U.S. can make the strait a territory—it cannot—but whether such bluster will push the region closer to a conflict that no one wants. For now, the world watches, and the strait remains exactly what it has always been: an international waterway, not a bargaining chip in a political game.