In a recent post on his Truth Social platform, Donald Trump delivered a stern warning to Iran regarding the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, although his message contained a spelling error.
“Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out – 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD!” wrote the former President on Saturday morning. His choice of the word “reign” instead of the correct homophone “rain” drew attention alongside the gravity of his message.
This post arrives at a time of escalating tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial channel for the global oil supply chain. The deadline Trump set for reopening this strategic waterway was initially slated for late March. However, after Iran requested an extension, he agreed to delay the deadline to April 6 at 8 p.m. ET.
Should Iran fail to comply by this revised deadline, Trump has indicated a willingness to target Iran’s energy infrastructure with military force, despite such actions being prohibited under the Geneva Convention.
The latest threat follows another statement from Trump on Friday, where he claimed that with additional time, “we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE.” This remark underscores the high stakes and potential economic motivations behind the ongoing geopolitical tensions.
His latest threat comes after he posted on Friday that if given more time, ‘we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE.’
Ever since the war in Iran broke out on February 28, the Strait has been a key point of contention since roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil supply is transported through it.
Iran has asserted control over the Strait, implementing a blockade against nations that support the American-Israeli war effort.
President Donald Trump issued his latest warning to Iran on Saturday morning, demanding they open the Strait of Hormuz
Pictured: An Indian ship moves through the Strait of Hormuz on April 1, 2026. Iran has set up a selective blockade, only allowing ‘friendly’ nations through
So far, access has been granted to ships from countries that Iran considers ‘friendly’, including China, Russia, India, Iraq and Pakistan.
On Friday, a French ship became the first vessel from a Western nation to be allowed to pass through the Strait.
It came after French President Emmanuel Macron criticized Trump’s saber-rattling in the Middle East and implored him to get serious about opening the Strait.
French authorities have not yet commented on the ship being allowed through, but the container vessel signaled its non-hostile status to Iran during its journey.
Trump’s eagerness to get the Strait of Hormuz open comes as gasoline prices skyrocket in the United States and across the world.
According to AAA, the average gas price in the US is $4.10 per gallon, a 37 percent increase since before the war began, when it was just below $3 per gallon.
The majority of Americans feel the war in Iran has gone too far, according to a survey by the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
Other polls show even Republicans are increasingly souring on the latest campaign in the Middle East. Many GOP voters gave Trump a second term at least in part because of his repeated promises that he would not start new wars.
Trump gave an address to the nation on Wednesday, reiterating claims that the US has significantly degraded Iran’s missile-launching capabilities.
The war in Iran began on February 28, which led to the almost immediate closure of the Strait of Hormuz (Pictured: Israeli strike on building in Beirut, Lebanon, on March 31, 2026)
Pictured: Moment the US-Israeli airstrike struck the B1 Bridge in Karaj, Iran
Shahid Beheshti University following a military strike carried out by the United States and Israel
‘Their navy is gone. Their air force is gone. Their missiles are just about used up or beaten. Taken together, these actions will cripple Iran’s military, crush their ability to support terrorist proxies and deny them the ability to build a nuclear bomb,’ Trump said.
Contrary to Trump’s claims that Iran’s arsenal had been severely set back, US intelligence sources told Reuters that two-thirds of Iran’s missiles are intact.
And two days after Trump’s speech, during which he said America’s operational objectives were close to being met, a US fighter jet was shot down over Iran.
It was an F-15E fighter jet, which had two crew members onboard. They both ejected from the aircraft and one has been recovered alive. The other has not been found by search-and-rescue teams.
So far, 13 US military service members have been killed in the war and more than 300 have been wounded, according to US Central Command. No troops have been taken prisoner by Iran.
In Iran, Israeli and American airstrikes have killed more than 1,900 people, according to the country’s deputy health minister.
