Trump Claims Full Control of Strait of Hormuz, Vows to Block Unauthorized Shipping Until Iran Agrees to Deal

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that no ship can pass through the Strait of Hormuz without U.S. Approval, asserting American control over the strategic waterway amid ongoing tensions with Iran.

Trump made the remarks during a phone interview with USA TODAY on April 17, 2026, shortly after Iran announced it would reopen the strait for commercial vessels under a coordinated route announced by Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organisation.

He declared the fight over the strait “over” and called the deal reached the previous Friday “a great victory,” while emphasizing that the U.S. Naval blockade on Iranian ports would remain in place until a broader peace deal is achieved with Tehran.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi confirmed on April 17 that the Strait of Hormuz is “completely open” for the duration of a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon, which followed U.S. Pressure on Israel to pause its campaign against Hezbollah.

Despite Iran’s declaration, Trump maintained that the U.S. Blockade would continue, stating that American forces had directed 27 vessels to turn around or return to Iranian ports since the blockade began, and had intercepted and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship attempting to breach the blockade.

Trump described the blockade as “absolutely destroying Iran” and said the United States was winning the conflict “by a lot,” according to his posts on Truth Social.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global chokepoint, with roughly 20% of the world’s oil transported through the waterway, making its status a major focus in U.S.-Iran negotiations aimed at ending the broader conflict.

Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran on April 7, conditioned on the strait’s reopening, but Iran had initially balked at allowing passage while Israel bombarded Lebanon, arguing the fighting was supposed to end as part of the ceasefire agreement.

Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire on April 16, which paved the way for Iran’s announcement regarding the strait’s openness, though Trump insisted that U.S. Restrictions on Iranian ports would persist until a comprehensive deal is reached.

The situation remains fluid, with competing claims over control of the strait and the effectiveness of the blockade, as both nations continue to assert their positions amid diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the regional conflict.