Trump says U.S. has ‘total control’ over Strait of Hormuz
Trump says the U.S. controls the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran says it remains blocked and vessel traffic stays far below pre-war levels.
By Sal Moretti · Money Reporter
2 min read
President Donald Trump said the United States has “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz, reviving the Trump Strait of Hormuz control claim as Iran formally disputed it and commercial traffic through the waterway remained sharply reduced.
In an Aug. 12 Truth Social post reported by Reuters, Trump wrote that the U.S. had total control of the strait and said he believed America would “KEEP IT.” He also described the U.S. naval blockade as a “WALL OF STEEL,” a characterization that was his own claim.
The post followed similar remarks Trump made to reporters the previous evening at Joint Base Andrews. According to ABC News, he said the U.S. controlled the strait, adding: “Nobody else, only us.”
What did Iran say about Trump’s Strait of Hormuz claim?
Iran rejected the assertion. The Persian Gulf Strait Authority, an Iranian agency set up to manage maritime traffic in the strait, said the route remained blocked and would not reopen until Iran’s conditions were accepted, CBS News and ABC News reported.
The reports document competing claims, rather than a conclusive finding that either Washington or Tehran controls the waterway. Former U.S. diplomat Richard Haass also said no country was in total control of the strait, according to The Hill.
What does shipping traffic show?
The clearest measure of the immediate situation is the thin flow of ships. CBS News, citing Kpler data, reported that eight vessels made the transit on Tuesday, the lowest daily count since Aug. 5 and below a 10-day average of about 12.
That compares with roughly 130 ships a day before the war began on Feb. 28, according to CBS. Al Jazeera likewise reported a pre-war range of 130 to 140 vessels a day, citing Reuters and Kpler data.
The Strait of Hormuz is a major shipping route, and the available reports say vessels can still pass through it, though under heightened risk and with substantially lower traffic. The dispute comes during the U.S.-Israel war with Iran and amid stalled efforts to reopen the passage fully, according to CBS News and Al Jazeera.
- Trump’s position: the U.S. has total control and intends to retain it.
- Iran’s position: the strait remains blocked until its conditions are met.
- Observed traffic: eight vessels on the reported day, versus about 130 daily before the war.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.