US President Donald Trump has claimed that the US can “easily” reopen the Strait of Hormuz, take control of all the oil flows, and make a fortune while doing so, provided it is given more time during its ongoing war with Iran.
In a Truth Social post, Trump declared, “With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE. IT WOULD BE A ‘GUSHER’ FOR THE WORLD.”
Despite his boisterous claim, Trump’s post did not explain on how exactly Washington aims to take control of the vital waterway from Tehran, or say just how much time it really needs.
Now in its fifth week, the joint US-Israeli aerial assault against the Islamic Republic doesn’t seem to be drawing to a close any time soon, as the war’s global ramifications have spread way beyond the region, leading to mounting pressure on the Trump administration to end the war as quickly as possible due to mounting energy prices, and supply constraints.
Effectively paralysing the critical waterway since the start of the war on February 28, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for the joint assault by Washington and Jerusalem, leading to a massive hike in oil prices worldwide, as well as causing mounting supply disruptions both domestically, and internationally, as the strait carries roughly 20% of the world’s total oil supply, and controls a fifth of the total flow.
Reopening the strait has now become a top priority, though Trump has consistently given mixed signals regarding the war’s end, and provided little to no details on how the US plans to overcome the Iranian blockade, and neither any clear timeline for ending hostilities, leading to deep uncertainty in the energy sector.
