Fact Check: Is Trump's claim US controls the Strait of Hormuz true?
DALLAS, TEXAS: President Donald Trump has claimed that the US controls the Strait of Hormuz, calling it the “Trump Strait.” He made the remark during the Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas as tensions between the US and Iran continue to affect the strategic waterway. His statement has raised questions about whether the US actually controls the Strait of Hormuz. Let's fact-check the claim.
Claim: Trump claims US controls Strait of Hormuz, calls it the 'Trump Strait'
.@POTUS: "By the way, we control the Strait — the Trump Strait." 😏 pic.twitter.com/3s8EiwcWoR
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 11, 2026
Trump said late Wednesday, September 9, that the United States would call the Strait of Hormuz the “Trump Strait.” He also claimed that the US is “winning” its war with Iran.
“Oil (prices) will be going down as soon as we win the war with Iran, which is taking place right now. We'll win it,” Trump said during the Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas, Texas.
Trump then claimed that the US controls the Strait of Hormuz and said he wanted to rename it the “Trump Strait.”
“We're winning it. We control the Hormuz Strait. I think we should call the Hormuz Strait, we should call it the Trump Strait. I should get something out of it. The Trump Strait."
“It's going to be called -- ladies and gentlemen, I'll have an announcement -- we'll call it the Trump Strait, and I'm sure the Iranian leadership will be thrilled with that,” he said.
Trump also said Iran is “falling apart” and described it as “the bully of the Middle East for 51 years.” He added that Iran is no longer the bully.
The comments came despite a memorandum signed in June that outlined a plan to reopen the strategic waterway as part of a broader peace agreement.
Fact Check: The claim is false
The claims are false. The US does not legally or fully control the Strait of Hormuz, despite President Trump’s claims.
Iran, however, continues to claim control over the passage and rejects US authority. The Strait of Hormuz lies between the territorial waters of Iran and Oman.
Ongoing military conflict and naval blockades have also severely disrupted commercial shipping. Traffic has fallen from a pre-war average of more than 130 ships a day to only a handful.
The US Navy has carried out mine-clearing operations and escorted some vessels through the area. However, maritime experts say the route remains dangerous and heavily disrupted.
Iran can still threaten commercial ships with missiles, drones and mines. This means neither side has undisputed operational control of the Strait of Hormuz.
