Trump says the war with Iran is “very complete,” but what he’s considering doing to the Strait of Hormuz is raising alarm

President Trump said Monday that the United States’ war with Iran is “very complete” while also saying he is considering taking over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for the global oil trade. The remarks came as the conflict continued to disrupt shipping and raise concerns about what comes next.

As reported by CBS News, Trump made the comments from his golf club in Doral, Florida. He said the U.S. had stripped Iran of much of its military capability and suggested the conflict was nearing an end.

Trump said Iran had “no navy, no communications” and “no air force,” adding that its missiles and drones had been heavily degraded. According to the U.S. military, more than 3,000 Iranian targets were struck in the first week of operations.

Trump’s Strait of Hormuz remarks are drawing attention

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important shipping chokepoints, with about 20% of global oil supply moving through it. Commercial shipping there has largely stalled during the conflict, adding to concerns about trade and energy markets.

Trump said the U.S. “could do a lot” about the strait and warned Iran not to “try anything cute.” He also said the waterway was currently open and ships were entering, but confirmed he was “thinking about taking it over,” amid Iran’s Hormuz passage offer. Markets reacted quickly to the comments. U.S. benchmark crude initially fell by as much as 13.7%, or about $13 a barrel, before recovering some of those losses, while major stock indexes closed higher after spending much of the day down.

Trump’s description of the war as “very complete” also stood out because it came the same afternoon the Department of Defense posted on X that “We have Only Just Begun to Fight” and “no mercy.” Asked about his earlier estimate that the war could take about a month, Trump said, “We’re very far ahead of schedule,” and added that “wrapping up is all in my mind, nobody else’s,” as lawmakers raised war cost questions.

Iran announced late Sunday that Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei would replace his father as supreme leader. Asked if he had a message for him, Trump said, “I have no message for him. None, whatsoever,” while also suggesting he had someone else in mind to lead Iran.

The conflict has also killed seven Americans in combat, including U.S. Army Sgt. Benjamin Pennington, who died from injuries sustained in a March 1 attack at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.