US President Donald Trump has reiterated his proposal to declare the Strait of Hormuz a “territory of the United States”, claiming Washington has “total control” over the strategic waterway amid continuing tensions with Iran.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump said the US naval blockade of Iran had been effective, adding that oil prices were falling and the Strait of Hormuz remained open. He also said Iran was facing severe economic and military difficulties.

Trump Backs Proposal To Declare Hormuz US Territory

Trump said he considered the idea of declaring the Strait of Hormuz a US territory a “great idea”, arguing that the United States already exercised control over the waterway through its blockade.

“I think it’s a great idea. I mean, we control it with the blockade. I like the idea of declaring it a territory. We have total control over the Strait,” Trump said.

He acknowledged that Iran could still create disruptions, including by placing mines in the waterway, which could threaten commercial shipping. Trump said the blockade had nevertheless been effective and suggested that the US was removing millions of barrels of oil from the region each week.

Trump Says Oil Prices Falling, Iran In Trouble

Trump said the Strait of Hormuz was open and claimed that oil prices were declining. He added that prices would continue to fall unless the United States decided to take more drastic action.

“The Strait is open, and the oil prices are coming down, and they will continue to come down unless we decide to do something far more drastic than what we’re doing,” Trump said.

He also described Iran as being in “big trouble”, claiming that the country was experiencing 300 per cent inflation and that its military had been “totally defeated”.

Earlier Warning Over Strait Of Hormuz

Trump had previously said on Friday that he planned to declare the Strait of Hormuz “a territory of the United States” after the war with Iran. The New York Post reported that he made the remarks while addressing a Republican rally in Long Island.

“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 at the rally.

Trump has also warned Oman against becoming involved in a potential agreement with Iran concerning control of the Strait of Hormuz. He said the United States would “bomb the s*** out of them” if Muscat interfered with Washington’s position on the strategic waterway.

Trump Calls For Iranian Surrender

During a phone conversation with Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst, Trump also discussed the conflict with Iran as a 60-day memorandum of understanding signed in June to begin negotiations aimed at ending the West Asia war approaches its expiry.

Trump said Iran should “raise the white flag of surrender” in that context, while adding that he had “no time schedule” for the conflict.

His remarks drew a response from Iranian Parliament’s National Security Commission spokesperson Ebrahim Rezaei, who rejected the call for surrender and criticised the US President.

Iran Rejects Trump’s Call For Surrender

In a post on X, Rezaei said Iran would not surrender and argued that those who should surrender were those who “flee in shame and humiliation in a food truck”, in an apparent reference to the United States.

“Trump has once again spoken of Iran surrendering. Great Iran is not one to surrender; the one who should surrender is the one who flees in shame and humiliation in a food truck,” Rezaei wrote.

The exchange comes as tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high, with the Strait of Hormuz continuing to be a central point of contention because of its strategic importance to regional energy supplies and international shipping.

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