Does US need Strait of Hormuz? Trump has an answer

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United States does not need the Strait of Hormuz, urging countries dependent on the key oil transit route to “take care” of it themselves, even as Washington vowed to protect its Middle East allies amid the ongoing war with Iran.

In a televised address, Trump said, “We haven’t needed the Hormuz Strait and we don’t need it,” calling on nations that rely on oil shipments through the passage to show “courage” and secure it independently. “The countries of the world that… receive oil through the Hormuz Strait must take care of that passage. Just take it, protect it, use it for yourselves,” he said.

You may follow our live coverage of the West Asia war here

The remarks marked a significant shift in tone on one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints, as the U.S. president sought to redefine Washington’s role while continuing military operations against Iran.

Trump, however, reassured regional partners, saying the United States would not allow its allies to be harmed. He thanked countries including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain, stating, “They’ve been great, and we will not let them get hurt or fail in any way, shape or form.”

Iran’s military ‘decimated’, nuclear threat cited

Trump claimed Iran’s military capabilities had been severely weakened in the ongoing conflict, asserting that its navy was “gone,” its air force “in ruins,” and that many of its leaders were dead. He said Iran’s missile capabilities had been “dramatically curtailed.”

Framing the war as a pre-emptive move, Trump argued that Iran had been close to developing missiles capable of reaching the American homeland. He reiterated that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons had been a core objective since the beginning of his political career, saying it had been his pledge “from the very first day” of his 2015 campaign.

Outlining U.S. goals, Trump said Washington aimed to “obliterate” Iran’s missile programme, “annihilate” its navy, and cut off its support to proxy groups, while ensuring it never becomes nuclear-armed.

Also read: Iran will be hammered ‘very hard’: Trump sends mixed signals on war

War effort and timeline

Describing the campaign as unprecedented, Trump said the level of operations against Iran’s Revolutionary Guards was unlike anything seen before. He added that Iran had been “decimated” and suggested that the most difficult phase of the conflict was already over.

The U.S. president also indicated that the military push against Iran had been under consideration for weeks, saying the decision to act had taken shape over a two-to-three-week period as tensions escalated.

The comments come as the United States continues its military campaign against Iran, with Trump defending both the scale of the offensive and his administration’s broader Middle East strategy.