US President Donald Trump issued a strong warning over the future control of the Strait of Hormuz while speaking during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David on Wednesday, as negotiations with Iran continue over a possible agreement involving the strategically vital waterway.
Responding to questions about reports of a proposed arrangement where Iran and Oman could jointly oversee the Strait of Hormuz, Trump made it clear that Washington would not accept any country taking control of the route.
“We'll watch over it, but nobody's going to control it. That's part of the negotiation that we have,” Trump said.
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He then directly referred to Oman while discussing the issue.
“They would like to control it. Nobody's going to control it. It's international waters, and Oman will behave just like everybody else, or we'll have to blow them up,” he said.
.@POTUS: "The Strait has gotta be open to everybody. It's international waters... [Iran] would like to control it; nobody's going to control it. It's international waters." pic.twitter.com/erNbdFhYuO
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 27, 2026
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical oil transit corridors, linking the Persian Gulf to global shipping routes. Any disruption in the region has the potential to impact international energy markets and global trade.
Moments after making the remarks, Trump appeared to ease tensions slightly, saying, “They understand that. They’ll be fine.”
‘The deal has got to be perfect’: Trump on Iran negotiations
During the meeting, Trump also indicated that the ongoing discussions with Tehran have not yet met US expectations.
“Iran is very much intent, they want very much to make a deal. So far they haven't gotten there ... we're not satisfied with it, but we will be. We will be either that or we'll have to just finish the job,” he said.
Later, the US President again underlined that Washington would only agree to terms fully aligned with its demands.
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“The deal has got to be perfect,” Trump stated.
The negotiations have reportedly focused not only on the future management of the Strait of Hormuz but also on Iran’s nuclear programme and the issue of Tehran’s enriched uranium reserves.
Trump also said he was uneasy with the possibility of either Russia or China taking custody of Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile.
Marco Rubio says talks showing signs of progress
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was present at the Cabinet meeting, said discussions were showing limited progress.
“There's been some progress and some interest, and we'll see over the next few hours and days whether progress could be made,” Rubio said.
He also repeated Washington’s long-standing position on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, saying, “The bottom line is Iran's never going to have a nuclear weapon.”
