Trump Jokingly Called Strait of Hormuz US Territory, White House Clarifies
WASHINGTON: The White House has clarified that US President Donald Trump’s remarks referring to the Strait of Hormuz as American territory were made jokingly and do not represent an official US policy.
According to journalist Brian Schwartz of The Wall Street Journal, a White House official said Trump was not serious when he made the remarks about declaring the Strait of Hormuz US territory following the war with Iran.
The official said President Trump had not discussed any proposal or action regarding declaring the Strait of Hormuz US territory with his advisers.
The White House clarification has also dispelled the impression that Trump’s remarks represented a formal policy position of the United States.
The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is a major route for global energy shipments.
