The newest development in the ongoing volatility surrounding the Strait of Hormuz is the passage of several American military vessels through the channel this Saturday. This significant move occurred without any coordination with Iran. The event took place right as U.S. and Iranian delegations were meeting in Islamabad with Pakistani mediators to hash out a longer-term agreement.
The problem is that while these naval maneuvers were unfolding, President Trump took to Truth Social. On today’s edition of dumb things the President says, Trump got all effusive about his favourite thing in the world, oil. The post is some heavy posturing to try to prove that the U.S. has the upper hand and doesn’t need the Strait of Hormuz. The quiet naval movement? I think it is to test limits. Honestly, I don’t think either will work as intended.
Per The Hill, his post said: “Massive numbers of completely empty oil tankers, some of the largest anywhere in the World, are heading, right now, to the United States to load up with the best and “sweetest” oil (and gas!) anywhere in the World. We have more oil than the next two largest oil economies combined – and higher quality. We are waiting for you. Quick turnaround! President DJT”
Also, that wording is giving me a serious case of the ick
Trump has been vocal about his frustration regarding the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping channel that carries roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil supply. The passage has been largely closed since the war began, and only a few tankers managed to slip through before the region became restricted again after the ceasefire.
This most recent restriction was a direct response to Israeli attacks on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Worse, it seems that this specific stance, that Lebanon isn’t part of the deal, was a last-minute change. Trump has also been angry about the Iranian regime’s attempt to impose a toll of roughly $1 in cryptocurrency per barrel of oil. Although he has also tried to claim that it would be a joint venture.
During a phone call with NewsNation on Saturday morning, the president addressed the influx of tankers. He denied that these ships were heading to the U.S. specifically because of the ongoing closure of the strait.
Trump told NewsNation’s Kellie Meyer that the shipping channel would be open in the not-too-distant future and suggested that people are already beginning to recognize that there are other alternatives to using that particular route. He characterized Iran as a failing nation and expressed confidence that the passage would be opened up.
The president then stated that the naval ships in play are to clear the Strait. It is a favor to the international community. He specifically named China, Japan, South Korea, France, and Germany as nations benefiting from this work, while criticizing them for allegedly lacking the courage or will to take on the task themselves. As usual, he then waxed lyrical about how the United States has ’completely destroyed Iran’s military.’
In response to all of this, Iranian officials reportedly warned the Pakistani mediators that any continued movement of the vessels would lead to them being targeted within 30 minutes. They emphasized that such actions would be seen as a potential violation of the ceasefire. That being said, Iran has claimed that no ships have actually made it through. Additionally, no actual action was taken against American ships.
Per the NY Post, the U.S. Navy vessels, which were not escorting commercial tankers, completed their transit without any reported issues. Maybe one side is lying, or maybe this is all just a continuous game of posturing.
As the world watches these tankers move, the stability of the Strait of Hormuz remains the primary variable that could shift the trajectory of both the energy markets and the ongoing diplomatic negotiations. It is a high-stakes environment where every movement of a ship or a statement on social media carries significant weight for global energy security.
Published: Apr 12, 2026 01:26 pm