Trump claims US has ‘total control’ of Strait of Hormuz, vows to keep it
US President Donald Trump has claimed that America has “total control” over the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, as tensions with Iran remain high over the waterway’s closure and a US naval blockade.
Trump hails ‘Wall of Steel’ naval blockade
In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump said the US would retain control of the Strait of Hormuz and praised the effectiveness of the American naval blockade.
“The U.S.A. has total control over the Strait of Hormuz. I think we will keep it!” Trump wrote.
He claimed the US blockade was being described as a “wall of steel” and asserted that Iran was powerless to challenge it.
Trump also said Iran no longer had the military strength it once possessed, claiming that the country had no functioning Navy or Air Force and that its soldiers were going unpaid.
He further claimed that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had been “decimated and fleeing”.
Trump ended his post by declaring that Iran was no longer the “bully” of the Middle East and added, “Praise be to Allah!”
Iran rejects US control claim
Iran has strongly rejected Trump's repeated assertion that Washington controls the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints for the transportation of oil and other commodities.
Tehran has instead threatened to impose a toll system on vessels using the waterway and has targeted ships it accuses of attempting to bypass its preferred route.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the US meets Tehran's demands.
According to Iranian officials, those conditions include lifting the US naval blockade, unfreezing Iranian assets, removing sanctions and providing compensation for damage caused during the war.
“The strait is now actually a theatre of war for us and not just a waterway,” the Revolutionary Guards said, warning that the blockade would continue until the US accepts Iran's conditions.
Hormuz closure raises pressure on Trump
The prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has pushed up prices for American consumers, adding to the political pressure on Trump ahead of the November midterm elections.
Despite the economic impact, Trump has indicated that Washington remains open to negotiations with Tehran.
In an interview with Axios on Sunday, Trump described the US approach as “low-key”, saying Washington was only “semi-negotiating” while monitoring Iran's worsening economic situation.
“It will work out,” Trump said, comparing the confrontation to a game of chess.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has maintained that Tehran is not engaged in direct negotiations with Washington, saying Iran is only exchanging messages with the US through intermediaries.
Strait remains key flashpoint
The standoff over Hormuz has emerged as a major flashpoint in the wider US-Iran confrontation, with both sides refusing to back down.
While Trump insists that the US has established control over the waterway, Iran says reopening the strategic passage will depend on Washington meeting its demands.
The competing claims have added uncertainty around one of the world's most critical routes for global energy supplies.
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