President Donald Trump stated that the Strait of Hormuz is open and will remain open regardless of Iranian cooperation, according to a report from a Middle East-focused the source. The statement is the latest in a series of Trump pronouncements on the strait's status amid ongoing US-Iran tensions.
President Donald Trump said Monday that the Strait of Hormuz is open and will remain open, with or without Iran, according to a single report from a Middle East-focused source. The statement, originally posted in Hebrew, does not specify whether the strait's current status reflects a change in policy or a continuation of the existing situation.
The remark is the latest in a series of Trump pronouncements on the strait made earlier today. At 15:13 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported a rapid sequence of statements: Trump first said the US was "taking over" the strait (versions 1-3), then that the US would manage it and be its guardians (versions 4-6), then that the US would charge a security fee (versions 7-8), and finally that the US would "keep" the strait and become its guardian, expecting reimbursement. The new statement shifts away from the US control narrative, instead asserting that the strait will remain open regardless of Iranian cooperation.
The evolution of source quality across the thread: The initial reports were based on Trump's own statements posted on a security-focused source, then corroborated by journalist Asaf Rozentzweig (N12) for version 4, and later by a televised interview for version 8. The new statement comes from a single Middle East-focused source, with no independent confirmation.
Background: The Zioneer has reported extensively on Trump's positions regarding the Strait of Hormuz. On June 12, Trump said the US and Iran were close to a 60-day ceasefire deal that would reopen the strait. On June 16, he said the strait would be fully open by Friday. On June 18, Iranian state media reported that passage still required Iranian coordination. On July 12, Trump said the strait is open but declined to elaborate. The new statement appears to be a return to the theme of the strait being open, but now with a confrontational tone regarding Iran.
It remains unclear whether this statement reflects a new policy directive or a reiteration of earlier positions. The single-source report has not been independently confirmed, and it is not known if the statement was made in a formal setting or on social media.
6 developments
- StrongTrump says Strait of Hormuz is open, declines to elaborate out of respect for Lindsey Graham
- StrongTrump says Strait of Hormuz to reopen as early as Saturday or Monday
- StrongTrump says tankers are sailing out of Strait of Hormuz, contradicting Iranian reports
- StrongTrump: Strait of Hormuz fully open by Friday, Iran will not get nuclear weapons
Source and signal
- Internal intake