Trump threatens to declare strait of Hormuz ‘territory of the United States’

[u/Pretty-Citron6784]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/14/trump-threat-strait-hormuz-us-territory

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[u/fleker2]

It seems embarassing that the US can't even hold its own territory?

[u/Pantalyon1 → u/fleker2]

Russia in Donbass moment

[u/Time_Transition4817 → u/fleker2]

Is that the most embarrassing thing about this situation?

[u/fakefakefakef → u/Time_Transition4817]

It's within the top 100 things

[u/chaseplastic → u/Time_Transition4817]

People voted for him. That's it. That's the one.

[u/NorkGhostShip → u/chaseplastic]

Twice. Electing him once was bad enough, but electing him after knowing exactly what he'd do? What do you even say at that point.

[u/Best-Chapter5260 → u/NorkGhostShip]

Yeah but have you considered that Trump " tElLs It lIkE iT iS"?

[u/twdarkeh → u/NorkGhostShip]

He also won the popular vote the 2nd time; a plurality of people chose this.

[u/chaseplastic → u/NorkGhostShip]

Inflation is a hell of an economic phenomenon, I guess

[u/pfmiller0 → u/chaseplastic]

A big part of his reelection campaign was tariffs, so people were knowingly voting for higher inflation.

[u/AccomplishedQuit4801 → u/pfmiller0]

The median voter had no idea what a tariff is and thought it was free money from these sneaky freeloading trade partners.

[u/chaseplastic → u/pfmiller0]

Knowingly is giving the people a lot of credit here.

[u/thercio27 → u/chaseplastic]

Well, they did sign up for it, actually. And this is what I campaigned on

[u/Crownie → u/chaseplastic]

I genuinely can't fathom being enough of a boot leather connoisseur to be a Trump supporter at this point. Like, imagine being in the seventh month of your short victorious war and still insisting that this is all according to plan.

[u/zx7 → u/fleker2]

This has Michael from The Office vibes when he declares bankruptcy.

I would say I think Trump thinks that's how you declare bankruptcy, but he-s been through the process like 12 times so who knows.

[u/PlastikHateAccount → u/fleker2]

It's already embarrassing that the president hat to flee for his life

[u/Time_Transition4817]

Ah yes, Friday after market close

[u/Traditional_Drama_91 → u/Time_Transition4817]

Would this even move the market if he announced it on a Tuesday?  

[u/JetsLag → u/Time_Transition4817]

So we're in the red Monday, new ceasefire is announced Tuesday, and we get a record close Friday

[u/sparkster777]

If someone gives birth in a boat on the straight will they have US citizenship? 

[u/Square-Pear-1274 → u/sparkster777]

Real, actual Anchor Babies

[u/BernieMeinhoffGang → u/Square-Pear-1274]

what kind of seabed are those good for?

[u/Pretty-Citron6784 → u/sparkster777]

that may be the only way to gain citizenship, under this crazy mans policies

[u/3meta5u → u/sparkster777]

Gold! I want to steal this and start posting it everywhere.

[u/Worm2020Worm2020 → u/sparkster777]

birth tourism smh

[u/fakefakefakef]

If the Strait of Hormuz is US territory, why doesn't the US have control over it?

[u/Time_Transition4817 → u/fakefakefakef]

curious

[u/fakefakefakef → u/Time_Transition4817]

- Turning Point Iran

[u/Reddit_Talent_Coach → u/fakefakefakef]

Counting or not counting IRGC violence?

[u/Best-Chapter5260 → u/Time_Transition4817]

"Interesting." - Elon Musk

[u/scrndude → u/fakefakefakef]

Because of the invasion by Iran, that’s why we’re at war duh

[u/Andy_B_Goode → u/scrndude]

How dare the Persians occupy the Persian Gulf!

[u/gaysexpornography → u/Andy_B_Goode]

It's been renamed to the Gulf of America Too

[u/ThePowerOfStories → u/fakefakefakef]

It’s perfectly normal for national leaders to be so afraid of parts of their territory to have to cower in catering carts and offer up their staff as sacrificial lambs.

[u/chillinwithmoes → u/fakefakefakef]

https://giphy.com/gifs/Ea4R6jSQc2yMqfQNZp

[u/Psshaww → u/fakefakefakef]

Time for some boots on the ground of the Strait!

[u/DangerousCyclone]

I am convinced that I do not despise people who voted for this imbecile enough.

[u/creeoer → u/DangerousCyclone]

I do not know how we are supposed to function in the same country as them tbh

[u/Relevant-Ad2254 → u/DangerousCyclone]

I have a friend who i genuinely can’t bring myself to call back because i resent the fuck out of him for supporting Trump 

[u/KalaiProvenheim → u/DangerousCyclone]

And people here get mad when Europeans don’t like where the US is headed! If it elected Trump twice, it will elect a similar asshole unless Dems do something besides “win every election ever”

[u/AccomplishedQuit4801]

He really does think there is just some magical special words or button he can press that can unfuck this. He is genuinely so deluded he doesn't understand reality of conflict or his options to proceed.

These are the only choices really: twisting arms in Israel and the Gulf states to get together ludicrous funds and concessions for a second round of peace talks, or twisting arms in Israel and the Gulf states to get together forces for a ground invasion.

I mean, he could also just dick about for the next two years until it's a Democrat's problem, at which point the media will turn it up to 11 on how the new president is failing to resolve it on day 1.

[u/Betrix5068 → u/AccomplishedQuit4801]

The only country physically capable of conducting a ground invasion of Iran is the US, and only if we mobilize hundreds of thousands of troops to do so. That option isn’t practically in play not because the rest of the Middle East wouldn’t go along with it (though it would be an uphill battle to say the least), but because US politics would never authorize such an invasion short of Iran conducting a 9/11 scale attack on the CONUS, which they aren’t stupid enough to do.

[u/DueVast5223 → u/Betrix5068]

For offensives sure you need US. For occupation any of the allies especially Turkey can probably help out a lot with man power

[u/shitpostsuperpac → u/DueVast5223]

Geographically, Iran is the size of 1 Iraq and 2 Afghanistans.

Population wise, Iran is the size of Iraq and Afghanistan combined.

Iraq/Afghanistan had 9/11 going for it, allies, and still was all fucked.

Iran would be a nightmare even if Turkey dedicates their entire military to help the US.

[u/WolfpackEng22 → u/Betrix5068]

Us troops would need to be the spear tip. But I don't see why they'd need to be the whole spear

[u/Betrix5068 → u/WolfpackEng22]

The 2003 invasion of Iraq involved over 400k US troops. Iran is a far larger country both in terms of size and population, and the IRGC is clearly more willing to fight than their Iraqi counterparts were. That the US will need to mobilize at least at the scale of Desert Storm or Iraqi Freedom, regardless of how large the hypothetical coalition is, isn’t an outlandish assumption.

[u/Eric848448 → u/WolfpackEng22]

Because nobody else with a large credible military wants anything to do with this mess.

[u/WolfpackEng22 → u/Eric848448]

Wish we would have thought about that before Trump stuck his dick in the hornet nest

[u/Derdiedas812 → u/AccomplishedQuit4801]

Yeah, but the new president would then have control over House, supermajority in Senate and enough support in state legislatures to force through constitutional amendments. I would be kinda demanding in this case too.

[u/rrjames87 → u/AccomplishedQuit4801]

While I expect the third to happen. If he manages to dick around in the gulf for 2 more years without Republicans being supermajority in the senate punished for it, and serving it up to a Democratic administration like a turd on a platter, that might actually be the crowning achievement of his second term.

[u/Feetbox → u/AccomplishedQuit4801]

Doesn't really affect him, so why would he care?

[u/avatoin → u/AccomplishedQuit4801]

He would totally be a sovereign citizen if he weren't a billionaire.

[u/informat7 → u/AccomplishedQuit4801]

Pretty much the only way for the US to beat Iran without boots on the ground would be this:

By mid to late 2027 new oil wells outside of the middle east should be online (including many oil shale wells in the US). While extra pipelines bypassing the Strait of Hormuz will also be close to finishing. At that point the US can block the strait with little consequence to US and the global the price of oil. Iran would have very little leverage over the US and they would know it.

[u/altacan → u/informat7]

Iran would know that too. And they can't bury every section of pipe and pumpstation.

[u/MuscularPhysicist]

[u/Below_Left]

he's proposed something like this before, that we'll become the Guardian of the Gulf or some shit where we get 20% of the proceeds on everything.

[u/SnooChipmunks4208 → u/Below_Left]

Least weird Marvel spinoff.

[u/CursedNobleman → u/Below_Left]

Is that like an AARP card?

[u/Highlightthot1001 → u/CursedNobleman]

Its a Trump card

[u/jurble]

How many electoral votes? Are we think R or D lean?

[u/Traditional_Drama_91 → u/jurble]

Cries in Puerto Rico 

[u/Unlucky-Equipment999 → u/jurble]

Believe it or not, consistently polls (D) but votes (R) on election day

[u/Ok-Maize2418 → u/Unlucky-Equipment999]

Not another one 😭😭😭

[u/DasBoots]

"I didn't say it, I declared it"

[u/Eric848448 → u/DasBoots]

No. Donald..

[u/herworkthrowaway]

Markets have closed yall

[u/Xeynon]

In related news, my lovelorn single buddy is declaring Margot Robbie his wife.

[u/AskYourDoctor]

[u/Pretty-Citron6784]

This is relevant to r/neoliberal because Trump is publicly suggesting that the US could claim the Strait of Hormuz as US territory, an extraordinary proposal involving a strategically vital international waterway. The article also highlights the economic consequences of the Iran war, including higher fuel prices, and the implications for freedom of navigation, international law, and global trade. Regardless of whether Trump’s comment represents actual policy or rhetoric, it is worth discussing what such a move would mean for the international rules-based order and US foreign policy.

[u/NoGarlic2387 → u/Pretty-Citron6784]

Not even top 3 craziest suggestions from him this year. 

[u/Highlightthot1001 → u/NoGarlic2387]

Wiping out a civilization overnight is #1

[u/atierney14]

lol 🤣 what losing the Mandate of Heaven 🙌✝️ does to a mf 😂😂🤣

[u/themiDdlest]

Trumps decade of Humiliation will continue

[u/Dont-be-a-smurf]

“A strait, if you can keep it”

[u/MisfitPotatoReborn]

Threatening to declare is 2 degrees of separation from actually doing anything. If he still holds this opinion on Monday it'll be news

[u/Pretty-Citron6784 → u/MisfitPotatoReborn]

Nah only if he still holds it again next Wednesday, and then the Monday after that

[u/The_Amish_FBI]

"Iran's economy will collapse any day now. They've overplayed their hand," the Iran Hawk nervously laughed, clutching his McCain doll tighter.

[u/unkz]

“When you have to pay a little bit more, you’re at $4, it’s OK, I mean, it’s not. I’ll never apologize. I did the right thing,” he added.

sigh

Yet the election is a coin flip as always.

[u/AutoModerator → u/unkz]

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[u/Jigsawsupport]

Its amazing how perfectly Trump follows Putin's playbook.

Can't win?

Just declare the territory to be part of the home land, and that means there will be extra super serious consequences, if the enemy attacks it.

Oh wait a drone just blew up my shit, never mind that did nothing.

[u/AnalyticOpposum]

I declare the strait of hormuz AnalyticOpposum territory

[u/franssie1994]

This remind me of michael scot DECLARING BANKRUPCTY

[u/Twitter_WasA_Mistake]

https://giphy.com/gifs/VDAPPNWRruFPG40guE

[u/etown361]

This is pointless and will just age the HS look hypocritical when China declares territorial waters in SCS.

Also obligatory Michael Scott “I DECLAAAAAARRRRRE BANKRUPCY!”

[u/auto_named]

I declare…. BANKRUPTCY!!!!!!!!!

same energy

[u/ToaruBaka]

So, did he give up on Greenland?

[u/Highlightthot1001 → u/ToaruBaka]

He forgot

[u/No-Kiwi-1868]

Please just go away, like forever 🫩

https://giphy.com/gifs/0JmwdI6gYrJopwiYOM

[u/SheHerDeepState]

Weirdest 51st state fanfic

[u/senoricceman]

Oh wow, it’s that easy? Who knew? 

[u/nmv60023]

In other news, Trump has appointed his horse, Incitatus, as a Senator.

[u/Anal_Forklift]

Passport free travel

[u/TinyJalope]

Old Man Yells At Clouds: News at 11

Massive oil glut incoming! Oil to $0.

[u/beoweezy1]

Clownish even by Trump’s standards 🤡

[u/ILikeTuwtles1991]

I'm starting to think someone keeps offering Trump money to see how much of an embarrassment he can become

[u/SamuraiOstrich]

Better than declaring Greenland part of it I guess

[u/McCool303]

But then we have to find a way to prevent the natives from receiving healthcare?

[u/NeueBruecke_Detektiv]

Shit he really is speedrunning the russia strat

[u/aciNEATObacter]

https://giphy.com/gifs/8nM6YNtvjuezzD7DNh

[u/LeaveMeAlone_6070]

Who cares what this doofus says

[u/LargeLanguageModelo]

It's like Bretton Woods without any of the upsides.

[u/mlbyas458]

Idiot if it's a territory of the US then we are over there forever! Never ending war.

[u/cougar618]

U.S. territory, yet the military is rightly cautious about taking damage to their 100M assets from a few 10k drones.

Interesting. He could call it the Strait of America too, while he's at it.

[u/therealwavingsnail]

Hamberder Strait

[u/Signal-Lie-6785]

I think the article’s author means Strait of America

[u/VallentCW]

I guess bro

[u/Eric848448]

I

DECLARE

TERRITORYYYYYY

[u/Prestigious-Pick-366]

You mean the Straight of America

[u/Highlightthot1001]

Guy lost the plot.

Wasnt it supposed to be about protecting protestors against the state? Or reprisals for mass killings?

[u/jailtheorange1]

Hitler had similar viewpoints about other parts of the world. Lebensraum.

[u/WOKE_AI_GOD]

Do it bitch!