Trump Claims Strait of Hormuz is Fully Under US Control

US President Donald Trump has claimed that the Strait of Hormuz is entirely under US control. He made this assertion while describing the current situation with Iran as normal. Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews, he stated that the Strait of Hormuz is now controlled by US forces and that no one else holds authority there. He further added that he does not trust Iran in the slightest, as they have consistently lied to him. CNN reported this news.

Controversy Surrounding Trump Administration’s Claims on Middle East Oil Transport

The Trump administration has claimed that Middle East crude oil exports have returned to normal. However, this claim does not align with reality. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright asserted that, with the assistance of the US military, oil supplies have been normalized through the use of alternative routes and pipelines, and that export levels have surpassed pre-conflict figures.

According to satellite data from Kpler, an energy-tracking research firm, only a very small number of ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz daily last week—a figure negligible compared to normal pre-conflict volumes. While the US administration claims that 9 million barrels of oil pass through the strait daily, JPMorgan estimates the actual figure to be around 4 million barrels per day. Experts and commodity research firms suggest that the US administration inflated these figures to keep global oil prices in check. In reality, the situation there has not yet normalized, and the risk of Iranian attacks has not been fully eliminated.