US officials to the Wall Street Journal: President Trump made it clear to his aides that he is willing to end the military operation against Iran without an immediate opening of the Strait of Hormuz
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| Donald Trump - ASSOCIATED PRESS/AP |
Officials in the administration told the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday that President Donald Trump is prepared to end the military campaign against Iran even if the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed.
According to the report, Trump and his advisers assess that forcibly reopening the strategic waterway could exceed the four- to six-week timeframe set for the war. As a result, the administration is willing to accept that Iran may retain a significant hold over the strait in the short term while deferring the issue to a later stage.
Sources cited by the Wall Street Journal said Trump has prioritized weakening Iran’s naval capabilities and reducing its missile stockpiles over immediately restoring maritime traffic. The current approach envisions scaling back military operations once those objectives are met, alongside increased diplomatic pressure on Tehran to resume trade flows.
Despite public statements on social media warning of strikes on Iranian oil infrastructure if the strait is not reopened “immediately,” Trump has at times downplayed its direct importance to the United States in internal discussions, suggesting it is an issue for other countries to address.
Officials and former policymakers involved in planning told the newspaper that Iran’s ability to control the strait could weaken as its military assets are degraded. For now, military options to reopen the passage remain under consideration but are not among the administration’s immediate priorities.
