President Trump Announces Intent to Declare Strait of Hormuz U.S. Territory Amidst Iran Conflict
President Trump announced his intention to "soon" declare the Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory during a rally in Garden City, New York state. This statement comes amidst a five-month-old conflict involving the U.S. and Israel against Iran. The war's stated objectives, according to senior White House officials including President Trump, include ending Iran's nuclear program and instigating regime change. In response, Iran has targeted U.S. allies with drone and missile strikes and imposed a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passed before the conflict. The U.S. has countered with its own naval blockade of Iranian ships and ports, leading to a stalemate and soaring global energy prices. President Trump urged Americans to accept higher gas prices as a necessary cost for preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi dismissed President Trump's remarks, asserting ... 
