Tuesday, August 18, 2026
Vol. VIII
Est. 2019

The Mind Shield

News · Opinion · Politics · Analysis

Trump posts map declaring the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States.

Trump posts map declaring the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States.
Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally on Long Island to boost Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman. Photo: Screenshot/USA Today

Donald Trump posted a bonkers new map on his Truth Social app on Tuesday, declaring that the Strait of Hormuz is now U.S. territory.

The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial waterway through which 20 percent of the global oil supply flows. It is located in the territorial waters of Iran and Oman.

Donald Trump Truth Social Post declaring the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States. Photo: Screenshot via Mediaite.

Trump recently floated the idea of annexing the strait during a rally in Long Island on Friday.

“And 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 told the audience. “Yeah, essentially, that’s what it is. We have the blockade—no ships get through unless we want them to. And how about Venezuela? Venezuela was a one-day war, and now we work great with them. We’ve taken in millions and millions of barrels of oil.”

Trump doubled down in the Oval Office on Monday, telling reporters, “We control it with the blockade, and I like the idea of declaring it a territory.”

But Iran has pushed back, saying that they control the Strait of Hormuz and that control of the crucial waterway can’t be seized “by tweet.”

“Trump has said that after Iran’s defeat, he will soon declare the Strait of Hormuz as U.S. territory! The Strait of Hormuz cannot be seized by tweet, nor by aircraft carrier, nor by issuing an order, nor by an election speech. Iran neither fears threats nor cowers before displays of power,” Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi wrote.

“Once and for all, accept the reality: up to this point, you have suffered strategic and heavy defeats; the Strait of Hormuz has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian; this strait will only be closed and opened under Iran’s command, and as long as you do not accept the reality of defeat and cease your fanciful delusions, Iran will continue to enforce the blockade,” he continued.