On August 12, U.S. President Donald Trump once again made his familiar Trump Claims Total Control Over Hormuz declaration, insisting that American forces, “and nobody else,” control the strategically important waterway.
The first problem with Trump’s statement is the difference between the notion of military presence and effective control. The United States has a powerful naval force in and around the Persian Gulf, including more than 15 warships. But having warships near the Strait does not automatically mean controlling it.
If Washington truly had complete control over Hormuz, commercial shipping would presumably be moving normally, without responding to Iranian restrictions. Instead, traffic remains dramatically reduced. Reuters reported on August 12 that it tracked only eight vessels passing through the Strait on Tuesday, compared with roughly 130–140 vessels per day before Iran’s closure. Seven of those vessels were using Iranian waters.
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More importantly, Iran still has the practical ability to disrupt maritime traffic. Tehran has closed the Strait in response to the conflict and continues to impose conditions on navigation. This does not mean Iran has unlimited or uncontested control. The Institute for National Security Studies has described Iran as having “effective control” over passage through the Strait, allowing limited and supervised passage for some vessels while restricting others.
Geography is central to the issue. The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman. Under the law of the sea, it is not simply “international waters” belonging to no country. Its waters fall within the territorial seas of Iran and Oman, while its international-strait status gives foreign vessels navigational rights. International law therefore does not give Iran unlimited authority over shipping, but neither does it give the United States sovereignty over the Strait.
This exposes another weakness in Trump Claims Total Control Over Hormuz—the wording itself. The United States cannot legally “own” or exercise unlimited sovereign control over Hormuz any more than Iran can claim unlimited sovereignty over international shipping. Iran can interfere with shipping, while the United States can attack and deter vessels. Hormuz is therefore a contested strategic space, not an American possession.
If America Really Owned Hormuz, Why Is Washington Still Begging for Access?
Perhaps the strongest evidence against Trump Claims Total Control Over Hormuz is Washington’s own behavior. The United States has been trying to enforce a naval blockade around Iranian ports and has used military force against vessels attempting to reach Iranian ports. If Washington already had complete control over Hormuz, reopening the waterway would hardly remain such an important strategic issue.
So why does Trump keep making the claim?
One explanation is strategic messaging. Trump often uses strong language about American military power. Saying that the United States has “total control” sends a message to allies, markets, and adversaries that Washington is confident and dominant, regardless of whether the phrase accurately describes the situation.
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It can also serve as psychological pressure. If Iran can show that it is capable of restricting access to one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints, Tehran gains bargaining power. Trump’s repeated claim therefore aims at denying Iran some of that leverage.
A second possible reason is negotiating leverage. Trump is trying to pressure Tehran militarily and economically. Claiming complete control strengthens Washington’s position by suggesting that Iran has lost its most important strategic advantage. Acknowledging that Tehran still has substantial leverage, by contrast, could strengthen Iran’s position at the negotiating table.
Finally, the claim has a domestic political dimension. Trump has an incentive to portray the conflict as one in which American power is dominant. Acknowledging that Iran can still restrict traffic through Hormuz would complicate that narrative and could raise questions about the campaign.
Ultimately, Trump’s statement appears to be as much a political message as a description of military reality. The United States clearly has overwhelming naval power in the region, but naval superiority is not the same as total control. Iran does not have unlimited legal authority over the Strait, but it has demonstrated significant practical leverage over navigation. As long as commercial traffic remains far below normal levels and Iran retains the ability to restrict passage, Trump Claims Total Control Over Hormuz is difficult to reconcile with reality.