Former President Donald Trump said the United States fully controls the Strait of Hormuz and expressed a lack of trust in Iran.
Control of this strategic waterway is critical for global energy markets. Any disruption to the flow of oil through the strait can trigger immediate spikes in global prices and destabilize international trade.
Trump spoke during a press conference in Maryland [1]. He said that he does not trust the Iranian government and said that the U.S. maintains complete control over the passage [1]. This assertion comes as a point of contention between the two nations regarding maritime sovereignty.
Iranian military officials have challenged the notion of U.S. dominance in the region. On May 30, 2026, the Iranian military issued a warning that it could target any ship approaching the strait [2]. This warning suggests that Tehran does not accept the claim of full U.S. control over the waterway.
These tensions are not new to the current year. Earlier in 2026, the U.S. sought international assistance regarding the security of the strait. On March 16, 2026, Germany responded to a request for help from Trump by saying that the situation was not a NATO war [3].
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most volatile maritime chokepoints in the world. While the U.S. maintains a significant naval presence to ensure the free flow of commerce, Iran continues to utilize its proximity to the coast to signal its ability to disrupt traffic. The conflicting claims between Trump and the Iranian military highlight the ongoing struggle for influence in the Persian Gulf.
“The United States fully controls the Strait of Hormuz”
The conflicting claims over the Strait of Hormuz underscore a fundamental disagreement over maritime law and regional hegemony. While the U.S. views the strait as an international waterway that must remain open under its security umbrella, Iran views it as a sovereign sphere of influence. This friction increases the risk of accidental military escalation in a region where a single skirmish could disrupt a significant portion of the world's oil supply.
