Trump’s “Territory” Claim and the U.S.-Backed Oil Corridor Through the Strait of Hormuz

Since the February 28 airstrikes, the United States has operated a naval corridor along Oman’s coast to move oil out of the Persian Gulf. The effort relies on “shadow-fleet” tactics—ships turn off AIS transponders and receive escort from roughly 20 warships, including two carrier strike groups. President Donald Trump has repeatedly asserted that the strait is now “American territory” and that the U.S. retains “total control” of the waterway. The operation aims to keep a portion of the pre-war oil flow moving while Iran maintains a de facto blockade on its northern side.

CNBC

• February 28, 2026 – Iran closes the strait after U.S.–Israeli airstrikes.

A closer look at the Strait of Hormuz after Iran issues new threat

• May 2026 – U.S. forces begin covert “shadow-fleet” escorts of tankers through the Omani corridor.

i24NEWS

• July 25, 2026 – Super-tanker *Kiku* docks in Qatar.

CNN

• July 31, 2026 – *Kiku* disappears off Dubai after switching off its AIS.

CNN

• August 1, 2026 – *Kiku* reappears on the opposite side of the strait.

CNN

• August 7, 2026 – Satellite imagery captures two Greek-owned tankers conducting a ship-to-ship transfer near the UAE.

CNN

• August 14, 2026 – *Kiku* goes dark again before resurfacing in the Persian Gulf.

CNN

• August 21, 2026 – Traffic data show 103 vessels entered and 89 exited the strait that week.

New York Post

• August 23, 2026 – Trump declares the strait “open and operating” and labels it U.S. territory on Truth Social.

Trump: Strait of Hormuz Is “New US Territory”

• The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations Center reported a surge to nearly 200 ships in one week, about 20 % of pre-war traffic.

New York Post

• U.S. Central Command said more than 660 million barrels have moved through the corridor since early May, assisting roughly 1,300 commercial vessels.

Fortune Magazine

• Energy Secretary Chris Wright posted a seven-day average of 8–9 million barrels per day.

Fortune Magazine

• Independent trackers (Kpler) estimate that 80 % of recent liquid cargoes have either used the Omani route or traveled “dark.”

New York Post

• Prior to the conflict, roughly 20 million barrels per day passed through the strait.

Fortune Magazine

• Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the Department of Energy “maintains the best available data” and highlighted the movement of “about 15 million barrels” on a recent Tuesday.

Fortune Magazine

• Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins, speaking for Central Command, affirmed that “multiple routes remain free and open for commercial transit.”

CNBC

• Iran’s deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi dismissed Trump’s claim as “delusions,” insisting the waterway remains Iranian sovereign territory.

United Press International (UPI)

• Mona Yacoubian, director of the Middle East Program at CSIS, warned that expanding covert shipments could provoke Iranian attacks.

The Hill

• Petras Katinas, a research fellow at RUSI, noted that only three to four vessels per day were observed in August, far below pre-war levels.

The Hill

The limited but growing oil throughput keeps Brent crude below $100 per barrel, yet analysts warn that any sustained increase could lessen Iran’s leverage. Environmental experts also cite the rise in “dark” transits as a new risk factor for oil spills in the narrow waterway.

CNN

• Daily barrel estimates vary: U.S. officials cite ~10 million bpd, Wright cites 8–9 million bpd, while Kpler’s AIS-off data suggest 1.6–4 million bpd.

CNBC

• Vessel counts differ sharply: The Hill’s analysis points to three-four ships per day in August, whereas the U.K. center reports nearly 200 ships in a single week.

The Hill

• No independent verification exists for the exact volume of “shadow-fleet” shipments, leaving a data gap that hampers market forecasting.

CNN