Trump threatens to make the Strait of Hormuz a US territory: Can he?

# Why This Matters Trump's annexation rhetoric around the Strait of Hormuz represents a dramatic escalation that could destabilize one of the world's most economically critical waterways, through which roughly 21% of global petroleum passes daily. Any U.S. military action to enforce territorial control over waters currently recognized under international law as belonging to Iran and Oman would violate the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and likely trigger Iranian military responses, potentially closing the strait entirely and spiking global oil prices in ways that would ripple through economies worldwide. The threat also signals abandonment of diplomatic channels with Iran and weakens U.S. credibility with regional allies who depend on predictable navigation rights rather than unilateral American control. Without substantive negotiations, this confrontational posture increases the risk of an armed incident that could spiral into broader conflict while simultaneously achieving the opposite of stated energy security goals.