President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to “blow up” Oman if the US ally works with Iran to reopen and jointly manage the Strait of Hormuz.
Responding to reporting by Iranian state media that Iran and Oman were negotiating an agreement to jointly manage the Strait of Hormuz—through which around 20% of the world’s oil was shipped before the illegal US-Israeli war of choice on Iran—Trump said that “nobody’s gonna control” the vital waterway.
“We’re gonna watch over it, but nobody’s gonna control it,” the president continued. “That’s part of the negotiation that we have.”
Donald Trump: "Oman will behave just like everybody else, or we’ll have to blow them up."The “no more foreign wars” president just threatened to attack yet another country.
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— Home of the Brave (@ofthebraveusa.bsky.social) May 27, 2026 at 10:15 AM
“It’s international waters, and Oman will behave just like everybody else, or we’ll have to blow them up,” Trump added. “They understand that; they’ll be fine.”
The US State Department posted a captioned video of Trump’s remarks, removing all doubt about whether he indeed threatened an ally with which the United States has had a strategically important partnership for generations.
A defense cooperation agreement signed in 1980 allows US forces to use Omani military bases, including facilities used for logistics, surveillance, and regional operations. The two countries periodically hold joint military exercises and cooperate on counterterrorism and maritime security—especially regarding threats to Gulf shipping lanes.
The countries have also had a free trade agreement in effect since 2009, and the president’s business organization is currently building Trump International Oman, a controversial $500 million luxury hotel, golf course, villa, and resort development near the capital, Muscat.
In which Biff forgets about the Trump golf course and hotel grift he is running in Oman
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— Tom Hearden (@followtheh.bsky.social) May 27, 2026 at 10:20 AM
Oman has also been a trusted mediator between the US and countries including Iran. Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi publicly said that a deal to avert the Iran War was “within our reach” as Trump ordered bombing to commence.
Trump’s remarks suggested that US and Iranian negotiators are not as close to a deal to end the 88-day war—in which US and Israeli forces have killed thousands of Iranians and global energy prices have soared—as the president has claimed.
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