President Donald Trump (R-WY) said Wednesday that no single nation will control the Strait of Hormuz, describing it as an international waterway [1, 2, 3].
The statement comes as the U.S. government manages ongoing negotiations to end the war with Iran and reopen the critical shipping lane [4, 5]. Because the strait is a primary artery for global energy supplies, any claim of sovereign control could destabilize international trade and escalate military tensions in the region.
Trump said the remarks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on May 27, 2026 [2, 3]. The president said that the waterway should remain open to international transit rather than falling under the jurisdiction of one country [1, 2, 3].
"Nobody’s going to control it," Trump said [3, 6, 7].
The comments were delivered while talks to end the conflict with Iran remain in flux [5]. The administration's focus on the international status of the strait serves as a diplomatic baseline for negotiations aimed at restoring maritime stability, and ensuring the free flow of commerce [4, 5].
By framing the strait as an international waterway, the president is signaling that the U.S. will not support any deal that grants Iran or any other single entity exclusive authority over the passage [1, 2, 3]. This position aligns with long-standing U.S. maritime policy regarding strategic chokepoints, a stance that remains central to the current diplomatic efforts to resolve the war [4, 5].
“"Nobody’s going to control it."”
This assertion reinforces the U.S. commitment to the 'freedom of navigation' principle. By explicitly denying any single nation's right to control the Strait of Hormuz, the administration is setting a non-negotiable boundary for peace talks with Iran, ensuring that the resolution of the war does not result in a strategic monopoly over one of the world's most vital oil transit corridors.
