President Donald Trump suggested Tuesday that pipeline projects in Texas and Alaska could serve as alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz as commercial traffic through the critical Middle Eastern waterway continues to decline amid escalating tensions with Iran.
The remarks came as the United States carried out its fourth consecutive day of bombing operations against Iran. U.S. officials have accused the Iranian government of violating the memorandum of understanding the two nations signed last month. Iranian officials, however, maintain that Article 5 of the agreement gives Iran responsibility for arranging all passages through the strategic waterway located in Iranian territorial waters.
According to the dispute outlined by both sides, some commercial vessels have attempted to avoid Iranian-controlled waters by traveling along the coast of Oman instead. Last week, Iran bombed several tankers operating in the region, an attack that resulted in the death of one crewmember. In response, the United States resumed its blockade of Iranian ships in the Gulf of Oman while also continuing its military strikes against Iran.
Even as hostilities have intensified, Trump and other U.S. officials have maintained that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to international shipping.
During an interview Tuesday with Fox News Chief Foreign Correspondent Trey Yingst, the president was asked about reports showing that vessel traffic through the strait has fallen dramatically.
Yingst cited shipping data indicating that only 10 vessels traveled through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, describing that figure as less than 10% of the normal volume typically seen in the vital shipping lane.
“Shipping data trackers indicate that just 10 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday,” Yingst said. “Less than 10% of what normally goes through this critical waterway. When you say the strait is open, what do you mean?”
Trump responded by insisting that the passage remains available for those choosing to use it while emphasizing that Iran itself is being denied access.
“It’s open if people want to go through it,” Trump said. “We’re not opening it for Iran. That’s the only one it’s closed for. It’s closed for Iran both in and out. But it’s open now.”
The president then pointed to infrastructure projects he described as possible alternatives to relying on the Strait of Hormuz.
“A lot of things have happened, Trey, in the last few months,” Trump said. “Pipelines are being built. We’re coming up with great alternatives, including Texas, including Alaska.”
Despite Trump’s comments, the United States is not policing which commercial vessels are permitted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz itself. Instead, according to the article, the U.S. naval blockade targeting Iranian ships is being enforced outside the strait in the Gulf of Oman, rather than within the narrow waterway. As shipping traffic remains sharply reduced, questions continue over the practical impact of the ongoing conflict on one of the world’s most important maritime routes.
