Trump says US has 'total control' over Strait of Hormuz, vows to keep it

President Donald Trump said Wednesday the United States controls the strategic Strait of Hormuz and intends to "keep it." "The U.S.A. has total control over the Strait of Hormuz. I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT!" he wrote on Truth Social, calling the US naval presence there "A WALL OF STEEL."

Who actually controls the Strait of Hormuz?

Trump has repeatedly claimed the United States controls the strait, a waterway vital for global energy and commodity shipping. Iran disputes this, saying it effectively controls much of the waterway and plans to impose a toll system in response to the US war Trump launched on February 28. Late Tuesday, Trump told reporters, "We have total control over the Hormuz Strait right now. They don't have control. We have total control. We own it."

What is the status of the US-Iran war?

US and Israeli forces have heavily bombed Iran's military and killed much of the country's leadership over nearly six months of war. The conflict began with goals including forcing Tehran to abandon its nuclear program and pursuing regime change. Iran has responded with missile attacks on US bases in the region, on Israel, and on targets in US-allied Gulf countries.

Iran's most effective response has been striking shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, snarling the trade route and rattling the world economy. With his political popularity sinking at home ahead of the November midterm elections, Trump has backed off threats to escalate the war in search of a decisive victory. That has left the conflict in a standoff.

What is Trump's strategy on Iran going forward?

Trump says the United States is prepared to focus on blockading Iranian ports, a strategy he told Axios amounted to "low-keying" the conflict. "We are only semi-negotiating with them. We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money," he told Axios on Sunday.