President Trump suggested he could potentially declare the Strait of Hormuz as U.S. territory during a Friday speech on Long Island. Trump stated: "Pretty soon I'll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States." The president elaborated by noting the U.S. military's current control of the waterway: "We have the blockade. No ships get through unless we want them to." The comments came amid an ongoing six-month conflict with Iran that has driven gas prices higher, with the national average reaching $4.07 per gallon for regular gasoline on Friday.