In a stunning verbal outburst that has sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles, former US President Donald Trump issued what appears to be an explicit military threat against Oman, a long-standing key American ally in the volatile Middle East, over ongoing negotiations to reopen the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz. The remarks, delivered during a White House cabinet meeting Wednesday, have already reignited questions about the 79-year-old leader’s inconsistent rhetoric and frequent verbal missteps amid rising tensions in the Gulf region.
When pressed by reporters on whether he would accept a short-term agreement that would let Iran and Oman jointly manage access to the key waterway, Trump delivered a blunt and aggressive response. “No, the strait is going to be open to everybody,” he stated firmly. “It’s international waters and Oman will behave just like everybody else or we’ll have to blow them up. They understand that, they’ll be fine.”
Immediately following the comments, reporters from Agence France-Presse reached out to the White House to ask whether Trump had misspoken, with widespread speculation that he may have intended to target Iran rather than Oman — a close security partner that has repeatedly attempted to mediate ongoing Middle East conflicts and has even faced direct attacks from Tehran in recent months. To date, the White House has not issued any correction, clarification, or walkback of the president’s remarks. The US State Department even went a step further, publishing an unedited video clip and full transcript of Trump’s comments about Oman to its official channels, with no note indicating a verbal error.
This latest verbal gaffe fits a broader pattern of mixed-up names and locations for the president. Earlier this term, Trump confused Iran and Venezuela, incorrectly claiming that the South American nation — whose leader Nicolas Maduro was toppled by US military intervention in January — “no longer has a navy, no longer has an air force.” This aggressive phrasing of destroying a target’s military capabilities is one Trump has repeatedly deployed when referring to Iran, which was jointly attacked by US and Israeli forces on February 28.
The current standoff centers on the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that normally carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s daily oil trade. In recent weeks, Iran has pushed to establish a new status quo at the strait, proposing a plan to charge transit tolls on passing commercial vessels and split the generated revenue with Oman. Negotiations to end the ongoing Middle East war and reopen the strait to full unimpeded transit have stalled once again, a development that has deepened Trump’s public frustration — just days after he confidently claimed a final deal was within reach.
Diplomatic observers have noted that the uncorrected threat against Oman marks an unprecedented break with longstanding US diplomatic norms, raising concerns about the stability of American alliances in a region already roiled by months of open conflict.