White House: Trump was joking about declaring Hormuz US territory
A senior White House official said Trump was joking after his remarks declaring the Strait of Hormuz as American territory raised concerns.
Key Takeaways
AIRemarks by US President Donald Trump declaring the Strait of Hormuz as American territory have sparked concerns about maritime navigation in the strait and the anticipated Iranian response.
However, a senior White House official told The Wall Street Journal that Trump had not discussed declaring the Strait of Hormuz as US territory with his advisers.
The US official sought to defuse the situation, saying Trump was joking in his speech about declaring the Strait of Hormuz as American territory.
The Iranian military affirmed that Tehran is fully prepared to confront any threat, has planned for the worst-case scenarios of war, and will respond forcefully and more aggressively if aggression is repeated.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi also stressed that Tehran will not yield to US threats, insisting that the Strait of Hormuz has always been and will remain Iranian, and that the decision to open or close it will remain under Iranian leadership.