Trump threatens Oman over Hormuz

What's happened

President Trump has threatened to "blow up" Oman if it collaborates with Iran to control or charge fees in the Strait of Hormuz, saying the waterway must remain open and uncontrolled. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned he will target anyone facilitating tolls, and the State Department has amplified the president's remarks.

What's behind the headline?

What this really means

• The White House is escalating pressure on Oman to reject any role in a tolling plan for Hormuz. Trump's "we'll have to blow them up" remark is direct military intimidation that will increase diplomatic strains with a traditionally neutral mediator. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's public threat to sanction anyone "directly or indirectly" involved in tolls is turning economic coercion into policy.

Who is driving events

• The US administration is driving the narrative by combining verbal military threats (the president) with economic tools (Treasury). Iran is using control over the strait as leverage to force concessions and reopen commerce. Oman is being pulled between its mediating role and pressure from both sides.

Immediate consequences

• Oman will face heightened political and financial risk if it engages with any Iran tolling plan; Omani banks and officials will be under scrutiny. Global energy markets will remain volatile while talks are stalling because the strait controls a fifth of world oil flows.

What will happen next

• The US will increase sanctions threats and diplomatic pressure; Iran will press for leverage in negotiations; Oman will publicly deny plans to impose tolls while quietly seeking to avoid direct confrontation. This will prolong instability in the Gulf and keep oil prices elevated until a clear, enforceable arrangement is agreed.

Bottom line

• The combination of an explicit military threat and targeted sanctions will harden positions and make a quick diplomatic reopening of Hormuz less likely. Expect further public warnings, limited punitive measures, and continued behind-the-scenes mediation attempts.

How we got here

The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed since late February after US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Iran has suggested joint arrangements with Oman to collect transit fees; Washington is resisting any tolling and has been negotiating indirectly with Tehran to reopen the route.

Our analysis

The coverage is consistent that the president has threatened Oman and that US officials are warning against any tolling arrangement. The New York Times quoted Mr. Trump saying: "Oman will behave just like everybody else, or we'll have to blow them up," and noted he quickly added he did not believe such action would be necessary. Al Jazeera published a similar transcript and highlighted the State Department's decision to share the clip. The New Arab reported Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's explicit sanction threat on X: "Oman, in particular, should know that the US Treasury will aggressively target any actors involved - directly or indirectly - in facilitating tolls for the Strait and any willing partners will be penalized." Al Jazeera's later report and the New Arab story have reinforced that Bessent said Washington "will not tolerate any effort to impose a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz." Other outlets including The Guardian, The Independent and Politico have reproduced the quote and placed it in the wider negotiating context: reopening the strait is central to talks to end the war with Iran and to stabilise energy markets. Several pieces note Oman has not publicly confirmed any plan to control the strait; reporting is unanimous that the comments are raising diplomatic alarm and will complicate negotiations.

Go deeper

• Has Oman formally responded to the president's threat?
• What specific sanctions is Treasury prepared to impose on Omani actors?
• How are oil markets reacting to renewed tensions over Hormuz?

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