US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the United States has “total control” of the strategic Strait of Hormuz and suggested Washington intends to maintain that control.
“The U.S.A. has total control over the Strait of Hormuz. I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, describing the US naval blockade as a “wall of steel” and claiming that Iran has no ability to challenge it.
Trump has repeatedly asserted that the United States controls the waterway, a crucial global energy route through which a significant share of the world’s oil and other commodities are transported.
Iran, however, maintains that it controls large parts of the strait and has threatened to impose a toll system in response to the US military campaign launched on February 28.
Speaking to reporters late Tuesday, Trump said the United States currently had “total control” of the Strait of Hormuz, insisting that Iran no longer controlled the waterway.
The confrontation comes amid a nearly six-month war in which US and Israeli forces have carried out extensive strikes against Iranian military targets and leadership figures. The campaign was initially aimed in part at pressuring Tehran over its nuclear program and seeking broader political change.
Iran has responded with missile attacks targeting US bases across the region, Israel and other targets in neighboring countries. Its most significant impact on the global economy has come through attacks and disruption targeting shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
The resulting disruption has severely affected maritime trade and raised concerns over global energy supplies and economic stability.
With Trump’s domestic political standing under pressure ahead of the November midterm elections, the US president has recently signaled less willingness to further escalate the conflict, leaving the war largely at a stalemate.
Trump has nevertheless said Washington could intensify its pressure by blockading Iranian ports. He described the current strategy to Axios as “low-keying,” saying the United States was only “semi-negotiating” with Tehran while closely monitoring Iran’s worsening economic situation.
