Trump: I Plan to Declare the Strait of Hormuz a ‘Territory’ of the U.S.

President Donald Trump said Friday that he plans to declare the Strait of Hormuz a “territory” of the United States, a remark that is sure to inflame tensions as the war with Iran drags on and ceasefire negotiations flounder.

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Trump made the comment while speaking at an event in Garden City, New York, in support of Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman.

“After we finish defeating Iran, I will be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States,” Trump said to a resounding cheer from the crowd of law enforcement professionals.

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Trump also acknowledged that the conflict — particularly the steep decline in shipping traffic through the narrow Middle East waterway — had led to higher prices for a range of consumer goods, including gasoline.

“For you to pay a tiny little bit more for your gasoline, just remember you’re doing it so that a very evil country cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “Remember when you have to pay a little bit more, you’re paying $4 — I’ll never apologize.” he added.

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This is a developing story and will be updated.