Donald Trump has fired off a wild plea for the world to help him “make a fortune” with his Iran war.
In a bizarre post on Truth Social on Friday morning, the 79-year-old president claimed the U.S. could “easily” reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route through which about a fifth of the world’s oil supplies flow.
It was shuttered by Iran following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, and oil prices have since soared more than 50 percent. Trump has responded to the resulting oil crisis with a flurry of conflicting claims, insisting the strait’s closure is no problem for the U.S. while at the same time threatening massive strikes if it’s not immediately opened.
“With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE. IT WOULD BE A ‘GUSHER’ FOR THE WORLD???” Trump wrote in his latest missive.
As recently as Wednesday, Trump said it wasn’t Washington’s job to pressure Tehran to reopen the vital oil route. In a televised address to the nation, he called on other countries to “take care” of the strait.
“They must cherish it. They must grab it and cherish it. They can do it easily,” the president said.
A day earlier, he lashed out at Washington’s allies who have so far been reluctant to support the military operation in Iran, telling them to “go get your own oil.”
“Go to the strait and just take it,” Trump said on social media. “You have to start learning how to fight for yourself. Go get your own oil.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has parroted Trump’s rhetoric that nations more dependent on the waterway should take responsibility for protecting it.
On Wednesday, he said the strait “is an international waterway that we use less than most, in fact dramatically less than most.”
“It’s not just our problem set, going forward, even though we have done the lion’s share of preparation to ensure that that strait will be open,” the defense secretary said.
The president has publicly vented about a lack of support from Washington’s allies, calling NATO’s stance a “very foolish mistake.”
He warned in an interview with the Financial Times that rebuffing his calls to help secure the strait “will be very bad for the future of NATO.”
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
