Trump Insists on Opening 'Trump Strait'; Iran: Strait of Hormuz

Trump's attacks on Iran have now stretched into a month, yet tensions show no sign of easing. International fuel supplies face severe disruption as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, sending oil prices soaring. 

Trump has deployed every rhetorical tool at his disposal—even renaming the waterway the 'Trump Strait'. He’s pursued both carrots and sticks to force a quick deal with Iran on reopening. Iran, however, stands firm, signaling deep disagreement between the two sides over ceasefire terms.

Strait of Hormuz

On March 27, Trump spoke at a summit and called the Strait of Hormuz the ' Strait of Trump,' insisting ' they have to open it up, the Strait of Trump — I mean, Hormuz.' He half-joked about the slip, mocking the fake news would claim he'd misspoken, and quipped that such 'accidents' rarely happen to him.

Trump speaks at a summit, calling the Strait of Hormuz the 'Trump Strait'

'Strait of Trump': US president says Iran must open key waterway

Trump claimed Iran had previously denied participating in talks but is now allowing tankers through the Strait of Hormuz to 'apologized for something they said.' He revealed Iran is actively negotiating and desperate for a deal, noting 'and two days later, they admitted it.' According to Trump, Iran initially proposed allowing 8 tankers, then added 2 more.

As the US-Iran conflict drags on, the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively shut for nearly four weeks, driving international oil and gasoline prices sharply higher. On March 26, average US gasoline prices hit roughly $3.98 per gallon—about $1 more than a month before the conflict erupted. Trump had threatened Iran with 'complete destruction' of its power plants unless it fully reopened the Strait within days, but later extended the deadline by 10 days 'as negotiations with Iran continue,' pushing the new deadline to April 6.

With the US-Iran conflict ongoing, the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed for nearly four weeks, driving international oil and gasoline prices sharply higher.

To downplay the impact of rising oil prices, Trump has recently been touting "productive" conversations with Iranian leaders, but this was denied by the Iranian side, stating they are reviewing the ceasefire proposal presented by the US but have not engaged in any negotiations with the United States.

Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi said on the 25th that the Strait of Hormuz isn't completely closed and countries not involved in military action against Iran can transit with Iranian coordination. But that same day, Trump threatened to open the "Trump Strait." Iran's Mehr News Agency reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a statement saying the Strait of Hormuz remains "closed" to vessels and has turned away three container ships.

The statement detailed what happened after Trump falsely claimed the strait was open. Three container ships of different nationalities tried to enter the "Tehran toll booth " that morning. After receiving warnings from the Revolutionary Guard Navy, they were forced to turn back. The Revolutionary Guard emphasized the Strait of Hormuz is currently closed. Any vessels heading to or coming from ports of the United States, Israel, and their supporters are prohibited from passage. Attempts to transit without authorization face "severe measures."

The Revolutionary Guard emphasizes that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, with all vessels bound for or departing from US, Israeli, and allied ports barred from passage.

According to Reuters, on March 26 Trump claimed in a cabinet meeting that he received a "gift" from Iran. He said that Iran, to demonstrate sincerity in negotiations, had allowed 10 oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump used this to validate his earlier claim that Iran is participating in negotiations and to suggest his judgment was correct.

Trump linked the release of tankers to Iran's acknowledgment of negotiations. Analysts see a clear pattern: Trump is trying to stabilize oil price volatility from the past month. He's extending deadlines to hold the line while downplaying market reactions by repeatedly calling dialogue with Iran "productive." Iran, meanwhile, has adopted a "you're anxious, I'm not" posture. It continues denying direct negotiations with the United States and reaffirms through Revolutionary Guard statements that the strait remains closed. It's using the Strait of Hormuz as leverage without signaling any willingness to open it.

On the same day, the United States and Iran released starkly conflicting accounts of strait conditions and negotiation progress. One side signaled that tanker releases and talks were moving forward in tandem; the other took concrete action to block vessel passage and reaffirmed its blockade stance. As global oil prices swung on the back of strait tensions, the divergent messaging made it harder for observers to gauge actual transit conditions and the direction of US-Iran relations.

Deep Throat

** The blog article is the sole responsibility of the author and does not represent the position of our company. **

Now in its third week, the US-Israel-Iran conflict has pushed Trump to demand that China, NATO members, Japan, and South Korea dispatch warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and drive down oil prices. With the US-China summit scheduled for month's end drawing closer and allies offering lukewarm support, Trump suddenly escalated by issuing what looked like an ultimatum to Beijing: postpone his meeting with Xi Jinping unless China helps protect the Strait of Hormuz. In an interview with the Financial Times, he underscored that China depends heavily on Middle Eastern oil, and should therefore join the effort.


The remarks sparked global outcry. Many read Trump's words as a veiled threat: if China refuses to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz, he will delay his China visit.


US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, attending new US-China economic and trade consultations in Paris, moved quickly to walk back Trump's remarks. He said the timing of Trump's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping remains uncertain and suggested that any postponement would stem from logistics tied to the Iran conflict—Trump has decided to stay in Washington to oversee military operations. Bessent was explicit: any delay would have nothing to do with the Strait of Hormuz or trade disputes.


Bessent quickly moved to "clarify" Trump's remarks, insisting that any summit delay would have nothing to do with Strait of Hormuz security or trade disputes.

Beijing's Diplomatic Response

Beijing's response was measured. Lin Jian, spokesman of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said leader-level diplomacy plays an irreplaceable role in steering US-China relations, and that both sides have kept communication open on Trump's planned visit to China.

On the Strait of Hormuz, Lin Jian said the recent escalation of tensions has disrupted international cargo and energy trade routes and destabilized regional and global peace, and China calls on all parties to immediately halt military operations. On the trade front, the two sides, guided by the consensus reached between the two leaders, held candid, in-depth, and constructive consultations on tariff arrangements, bilateral trade and investment, and the upholding of existing agreements, finding new common ground and agreeing to continue talks.


Trump Confirms Summit Postponement

Trump said Monday he had requested to postpone his planned China visit by roughly one month due to the Iran war, and that he was in talks with Beijing about the timing. He stressed his eagerness to visit China, but said the conflict required him to stay in Washington to manage the situation—a necessity, in his view—and therefore he had asked to delay the US-China summit.


Trump later added that he wants very much to visit China but must stay in Washington to manage the Iran conflict.

Trump expressed disappointment when allies refused or gave lukewarm responses to his call for escort missions. The New York Times quoted him saying he'd always suspected that if America ever needed help, these countries wouldn't stand by its side—and now they were proving him right.


But he quickly shifted tone, pivoting to bravado. 'We don't need anybody,' he declared. 'We are the strongest nation in the world.' The message was clear: Trump was treating the Strait of Hormuz escort mission as a loyalty test for America's allies.