✓ verbatim from the press ≈ paraphrased
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to attack Oman — an American ally — if the Omani government negotiates joint control of the Strait of Hormuz with Iran, through which 27-29% of global oil passes. "Oman will behave just like everybody else. Or else we'll have to blow them up. They understand that. They'll be fine," Trump said during a White House cabinet meeting on May 27. ✓
Press quotes (2)
"Oman will behave just like everybody else. Or else we'll have to blow them up. They understand that. They'll be fine."
"More than 20 million barrels of crude, condensate and fuels passed through the strait daily last year on average, data from analytics firm Vortexa showed. A stacked bar chart showing the percentage of total oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz in the world maritime oil trade, between 2020 and 2024 (annually) and 2025 (first quarter), fluctuating between 27% and 29%."
The threat came when a reporter asked whether Trump would accept a short-term deal allowing Iran and Oman to oversee traffic through the strategic waterway. Trump rejected any national control over the strait: "The strait is going to be open to everybody. Nobody's going to control it. We're going to watch over it. We'll watch over it. But nobody's going to control it. That's part of the negotiation that we have." ✓
Press quotes (2)
"At a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, a reporter asked Trump to weigh in on the idea of Oman and Iran overseeing trade on the strategic waterway, which handles more than 20 percent of the world's global oil traffic. ... "Would you accept a short-term deal that allows Iran and Oman to control the strait?" the reporter asked."
"The strait is going to be open to everybody. Nobody's going to control it. We're going to watch over it. We'll watch over it. But nobody's going to control it. That's part of the negotiation that we have."
The U.S. State Department later shared Trump's comment on social media with a transcript confirming the threat specifically referred to Oman, dispelling initial speculation that Trump might have misspoken and said "Oman" when he meant "Iran." The strait transports more than 20 million barrels of oil, condensate and fuels daily. ≈
Press quotes (1)
"While there was initial speculation that Trump might have misspoken and said "Oman" instead of "Iran", the US State Department later shared the comment on social media, with a transcript of the quote that referred to the Arab country."
The statement occurred amid tensions over possible negotiations between the United States and Iran. Iranian state TV had reported that Tehran received a proposal to reopen the strait, but the White House denied the existence of such an agreement, calling it a "complete invention." ✓
Press quotes (1)
"A TV estatal iraniana noticiou que Teerã recebeu uma proposta de acordo que prevê a reabertura do Estreito de Ormuz dentro de um mês. Os Estados Unidos retirariam as suas forças navais da região e poriam fim ao bloqueio dos portos iranianos. A Casa Branca negou a existência do texto, que chamou de uma completa invenção."
-
What is the legal basis invoked for the presidential threat against an allied country?
Why it's still unknown: Trump did not cite specific constitutional or legal authorization for the military threat against Oman
-
What would be Iran's specific operational capacity to control the Strait of Hormuz?
Why it's still unknown: Sources mention Iran has capacity to threaten the strait through drones, naval mines and small boats, but do not detail the practical effectiveness of a blockade
-
What is the current status of defense agreements between the United States and Oman?
Why it's still unknown: Trump specifically threatened an ally, but sources do not detail the nature of existing bilateral agreements or precedents of American threats against allies