President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday that the United States will have the Strait of Hormuz “open fairly soon,” though he gave no details and acknowledged the effort would be difficult. He said other countries were offering assistance but did not identify them, and emphasized the complexity of restoring passage through the strategic waterway.
“Other countries use the strait. So we do have other countries coming up, and they’ll help out,” Trump said, adding, “It won’t be easy … I would say this — we will have that open fairly soon.” His remarks offered little in the way of a timetable or operational specifics.
The strait has been effectively blockaded by Tehran since the start of the Iran war, a disruption Reuters called the worst to global energy supplies in history. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for roughly 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, and its closure has major implications for energy markets and global trade.
Trump has expressed frustration with NATO allies over what he sees as insufficient help to secure the waterway. Reuters reported on Thursday that NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte, after meeting with Trump, told European governments the U.S. president is seeking concrete commitments from allies to assist in securing the strait within days.
The wider conflict escalated after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, to which Iran retaliated with attacks on Israel and U.S. bases in Gulf states. Subsequent U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli operations in Lebanon have, according to the syndicated report, killed thousands and displaced millions.
The war has driven oil prices higher and unsettled global markets. Trump announced a fragile ceasefire with Tehran on Tuesday, after earlier threats to “destroy” Iran’s civilization; despite the ceasefire announcement, ship traffic through the strait has remained stalled.
Original Source: https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/iran-war-donald-trump-says-us-will-have-strait-of-hormuz-open-fairly-soon-11341368#publisher=newsstand
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Publish Date: 2026-04-11 04:33:00
