Updated

At a rally in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, US President Donald Trump repeated his claim that the Strait of Hormuz should be considered 'American territory,' asserting the US has 'total control' of the region and warning that Iran cannot be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. Trump also told reporters that Iran was 'not ready to make the right deal,' suggesting Washington was content to watch events unfold while military options remain on the table. The remarks come amid an ongoing US-enforced naval posture near Iran and represent Trump's latest public signal that negotiations with Tehran remain stalled. His comments were widely covered as part of continuing 'Iran war' coverage, with Trump emphasizing US leverage over the strategic waterway central to Iranian oil exports.