Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Oman during a cabinet meeting Tuesday, threatening military action if the US ally fails to keep the strait of Hormuz open to international shipping. The threat came as tensions escalate over Iranian efforts to control one of the world's most critical energy corridors.
"Oman will behave just like everybody else. Or else we'll have to blow them up," Trump said casually during the meeting. "They understand that. They'll be fine."
The US president's comments follow intelligence reports that Iran has been negotiating with Oman, a longtime US partner, about jointly collecting tolls from vessels transiting the waterway. Trump made clear such an arrangement would not be tolerated.
"The strait is going to be open to everybody," Trump declared. "Nobody's going to control it. We're going to watch over it. But nobody's going to control it. That's part of the negotiation that we have."
The strait of Hormuz, which handles roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supplies, has been effectively blockaded by Iran since late February following the outbreak of the US-Israel war. The closure has triggered global energy market disruptions and raised economic concerns worldwide.
Trump's administration has been pursuing a peace agreement with Tehran to resolve the conflict, but negotiations have stalled. The president accused Iran of deliberately dragging out talks in hopes of outlasting his administration until November's elections.
The threat to Oman revealed sharp divides within Republican ranks. Senator Roger Wicker, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, publicly criticized reports that a 60-day ceasefire was being negotiated. He called the proposal a "disaster" and argued it would undermine "Operation Epic Fury," the military campaign against Iran.
Author James Rodriguez: "Trump's casual threat to an ally over the strait shows the administration is willing to use military leverage to reshape Middle East energy politics, though his negotiations with Iran suggest the actual leverage may be weaker than the bluster indicates."
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