According to a report by The Times Of Israel on April 22, 2026, US President Donald Trump says he wants to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed so Iran cannot tax vessels passing through the strategic waterway.
“They want it open so they can make $500 Million a day,” Trump writes in his latest Truth Social post.
“They only say they want it closed because I have it totally BLOCKADED (CLOSED!). They merely want to save face,” he adds.
Trump does not address the wider economic consequences for the United States and other global economies if the Strait of Hormuz remains shut under Washington’s policy.
He also appears to be moving away from the Pentagon’s earlier framing of the US blockade, which suggested restrictions were aimed only at ships linked to Iran rather than the entire maritime passage.
Trump further argues that reopening the strait would undermine any diplomatic progress with Tehran. He states that if he agrees to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, “There can never be a Deal with Iran, unless we blow up the rest of their country, their leaders included!”
The comments come at a time of heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf, where the Strait of Hormuz serves as one of the world’s most important shipping routes for oil and gas exports. Any disruption in the area is widely seen as having immediate global economic implications.
His remarks also intensify debate over US strategy in the region, particularly regarding whether maritime restrictions are targeted or more expansive in scope, and how such actions could affect international trade and security dynamics.
