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President Donald Trump on Friday said the United States could “open” the Hormuz Strait and “take the oil” if it has more time.
“With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE. IT WOULD BE A ‘GUSHER’ FOR THE WORLD???” Trump posted.
The message, on his Truth Social platform, did not explain how the United States could end Iranian control over the Hormuz waterway or what oil Trump was referring to.
Nearly five weeks after it started with a joint US-Israeli aerial assault, the war in Iran continues to spread chaos across the region and roil financial markets, raising the pressure on Trump to find a quick resolution to the conflict.
Iran has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway that carries about a fifth of the world’s total oil consumption, in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes that began in late February. Reopening it has become a priority for governments around the world as energy prices soar.
In the speech on Wednesday night, Trump repeated his threats against Iran’s civilian power plants and gave no clear timeline for ending hostilities, drawing vows of retaliation from Iran and depressing share prices.