President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Oman, a longtime American ally in the Gulf, threatening military action if the sultanate interferes with Washington’s objectives regarding the Strait of Hormuz. In blunt remarks made during a Fox News interview on Monday, the president said the United States would strike Oman hard if it stood in the way of American efforts tied to the ongoing conflict with Iran.
The comments came as a 60-day window for US-Iran peace negotiations, agreed upon in June, expired without any resolution in sight. Trump indicated he felt no urgency to wrap up the war, suggesting Iranian negotiators were skilled but ultimately losing ground. He also renewed his position on Truth Social that Iran must never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon in any form.
Oman has spent recent weeks in discussions with Tehran, working toward a joint declaration on maritime navigation arrangements through the strait — a role consistent with its long-standing position as a neutral intermediary between Washington and Tehran. Iranian officials confirmed Monday that an understanding had been reached with Oman regarding a transit route map for ships, though details on specific pathways or potential fees remain unclear.
The stakes surrounding the strait are considerable. Traffic through the waterway, once handling roughly 130 vessels daily, has slowed to a trickle since the war began in late February, with only a handful of ships passing through in recent days. The Strait of Hormuz carries a significant share of global oil shipments, and continued disruption has kept energy markets on edge.
This is not the first time Trump has directed threatening language at Oman; similar remarks surfaced earlier this year. However, Monday’s comments represent one of the sharpest escalations yet toward a nation that has consistently positioned itself as a mediator rather than a party to the conflict, raising fresh questions about the stability of US relationships with Gulf partners as the war drags on.