President Donald Trump (R-FL) said the United States should reopen the Strait of Hormuz following reports that Iran is facing a state of collapse [1, 2].
The move signals a potential shift in U.S. maritime strategy in the Persian Gulf, a critical corridor for global energy supplies. Any change to the blockade could alter the economic and political leverage the U.S. holds over the Iranian government.
Trump made the comments on April 28, 2026, and said the Iranian government is seeking an end to the current restrictions on the waterway [1, 2]. He said the request comes as Iran struggles with internal instability.
"Iran is collapsing and is demanding that we lift the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz," Trump said [2].
The president said the timing for reopening the strait is now urgent based on the requests from Tehran. He said the Iranian administration is eager for the maritime restrictions to be removed to alleviate the pressure on their state [1].
"Iran wants the United States to open the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible," Trump said [1].
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most volatile chokepoints in the world. The U.S. maritime blockade has been a primary tool of economic pressure, and the decision to lift it would mark a significant pivot in foreign policy toward the region [1, 2].
Administration officials have not yet detailed the specific conditions under which the strait would be reopened. However, the president's public statements suggest that the U.S. views the current state of the Iranian government as a point of maximum vulnerability [2].
“Iran is collapsing and is demanding that we lift the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.”
The proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz suggests that the U.S. administration believes its economic pressure campaign has reached a breaking point for the Iranian government. By linking the reopening of the waterway to Iran's reported 'collapse,' the U.S. may be attempting to negotiate a formal surrender or a new diplomatic agreement from a position of total strength.
