US President Donald Trump was joking when he said he would declare the Strait of Hormuz a US territory after the war with Iran, a US media report said, citing a senior White House official.

Wall Street Journal reporter Brian Schwartz said on X that Trump had not discussed such a move with his advisers and was joking when he made the remarks during a speech in New York.

“President Trump has not met with his advisers about declaring the Strait of Hormuz a US territory post the war and was joking during his speech today in New York,” Schwartz wrote, citing an unnamed senior White House official.

Trump made the comments at a political rally at the Nassau County Police Academy in Garden City, New York.

“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 supporters before chuckling and adding: “It’s true.”

Schwartz, who attended the speech, said Trump appeared to chuckle after making the remark but then reiterated that the statement was true.

Trump also claimed that the United States controlled maritime access through the strategically important waterway.

“We have the blockade. No ships get through unless we want them to,” he said.

Iran disputes US control over Hormuz

Iranian military officials have rejected Washington’s claims of control over the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s central military command described assertions that the United States controlled the waterway as “baseless lies and fabrications”.

According to data from commodities and shipping analytics firm Kpler cited by CNN, about 3,371 vessels had crossed the strait as of August 12, during the 166 days since the war began.

The figure represented around 20% of pre-war traffic levels.

The United States and Iran agreed to a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire in April and signed a deal on June 17 to begin negotiations aimed at reaching a final agreement.

The talks later stalled over disagreements including security guarantees and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

The two sides also exchanged military strikes between July 8 and 24.

Washington targeted sites inside Iran, while Tehran carried out strikes on what it described as US military facilities and equipment in several Arab countries, including Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait.

The Strait of Hormuz links the Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and serves as one of the world’s most important routes for energy shipments.