Live updates: Trump says he will declare Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory when Iran war ends

Trump said during a political rally at a police academy in New York state, "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." The president based his boast on the performance of a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and shipping. Trump said "The blockade is unstoppable." However, Iran has rejected Trump's claim of control of the Strait of Hormuz, saying ships can only pass through the waterway with their authorization. The U.S. and Iran have nonetheless continued to exchange strikes, with the strategic Strait of Hormuz the primary flashpoint.