Trump says US controls Strait of Hormuz amid traffic slump

President Trump said on Wednesday that the United States “has total control over the Strait of Hormuz,” adding, “I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT!” in a post on Truth Social. No immediate official responses to the remarks were available in the information provided.

The comments came as new vessel-count figures pointed to a steep decline in commercial movement through the strait. Data cited in the source material said eight vessels passed through the waterway this week, compared with about 130 ships per day before the conflict.

Traffic figures show a sharp drop in transits

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime corridor for international shipping, and governments and companies closely track changes in traffic and transit conditions. The latest figures highlighted in the source material—eight vessels for the week—were presented as a marked fall from pre-conflict levels of roughly 130 ships per day.

The source material did not identify the data provider behind the vessel counts. It also did not specify which ship types were included in the totals, nor how long the lower transit levels have continued beyond the current week.

Reports cite stalled efforts to reopen the corridor

Separate reports referenced in the source material said efforts to reopen the waterway have continued but have not produced a breakthrough. Those reports said Iran has pursued discussions with Oman on the future management of the Strait of Hormuz.

President Trump

The same reports said broader negotiations involving the United States remain paused. The material did not include reasons for the pause or further detail on participants beyond the countries named.

Follow-up posts broaden Trump’s criticism of Iran

In additional Truth Social posts, President Trump criticized Iran’s military and leadership, writing that Iran “has no Navy, they have no Air Force, their remaining soldiers are unpaid, the IRGC is decimated and fleeing, and their ‘Leadership’ is uncertain, at best!” He also wrote that Iran has “FAKE NEWS and 300% INFLATION.”

One of the posts ended with the phrase, “Praise be to Allah!” The statements were published against the backdrop of weak transit figures and reports describing wider talks as paused.

Aug. 20 flagged as a potential checkpoint for new signals The source material said that if diplomatic channels make progress, clearer timelines and maritime updates could emerge by Aug. 20. Until then, it said public statements from mediators and fresh ship-count data would be the main indicators for whether conditions in and around the strait are changing.

Based on the information provided, the status of any agreement on management, reopening, or enforcement in the Strait of Hormuz remained uncertain. Near-term reference points were described as limited to public messaging and updated transit figures.