President Trump escalated his online messaging over tensions in the Strait of Hormuz by sharing an AI-generated image on Truth Social that depicted him taking part in the seizure of an Iranian-flagged oil tanker, as a US ally reported that Iran had fired on another commercial ship in the strategic waterway.
“It’s Our Oil Tanker Now!” Trump wrote Friday night, posting the image just hours after telling supporters on Long Island, “Pretty soon, I will be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States.”
The artificial intelligence-created scene shows Trump gripping an American flag while standing alongside two heavily armed soldiers. An Iranian flag is visible on the deck of the vessel, with a US aircraft carrier positioned in the distance behind them.
The post came amid intensifying rhetoric over control of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes. Iran has said it reached an agreement with Oman regarding authority over the waterway, while the United States has insisted the passage must remain free and open to international traffic.
“This strait will only be opened and closed under Iran’s command, and as long as you do not accept the reality of defeat and stop indulging in delusions, Iran will continue to enforce the blockade,” Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi wrote Saturday on X.
The United Arab Emirates said Saturday that Iran had targeted another Abu Dhabi National Oil Company vessel as it moved through the strait, marking the third reported attack in the area within a week.
