Trump threatens to 'blow up' key US ally Oman over Strait of Hormuz control

The threat

During a White House cabinet meeting on Wednesday, 27 May, US President Donald Trump issued an extraordinary threat against Oman, a longstanding American ally in the Middle East. "Oman will behave just like everyone else, or we'll have to blow them up," Trump said, according to multiple reports. The remark was later republished by the State Department's official account on X, confirming the president had not misspoken or confused Oman with Iran — a type of mix-up he has made previously, including confusing Iran with Venezuela during the same cabinet meeting.

Oman will behave just like everybody else or we'll have to blow them up.

The threat came in response to reports in Iranian state media that Tehran and Oman had discussed a possible arrangement for jointly managing shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after the war. Iranian officials described a system in which ships crossing the strait would pay a maritime service fee, distinct from direct transit tolls.

Strait of Hormuz dispute

Trump categorically rejected any scenario in which Iran or Oman would oversee the critical waterway. "It's international waters. Nobody's going to control it. We're going to watch over it," he told the cabinet meeting. The president said the strait would be opened to all, but would not be under anyone's control. This stance directly contradicts the draft framework reported by Iranian state TV, which claimed the strait would be managed by Iran and Oman with commercial shipping restored to pre-war levels within a month.

It's international waters and Oman will behave just like everybody else or we'll have to blow them up.

The White House and Oman's embassy in Washington have not yet commented on Trump's remark.

Iran peace deal in limbo

Trump also expressed dissatisfaction with the terms of the peace deal being negotiated with Iran, despite previously claiming a deal was imminent. "Iran is very much intent, they want very much to make a deal. So far they haven't gotten there... we're not satisfied with it, but we will be," he said. The president added that he was not comfortable with Russia or China taking Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Agreement on Iran's nuclear programme has proved to be a stumbling block as the war approaches its fourth month.

We're not satisfied with it, but we will be. We will be either that or we'll have to just finish the job.

Abraham Accords pressure

Trump reiterated his demand that Middle Eastern nations sign the Abraham Accords, the US-led treaty brokered during his first term encouraging normalization of diplomatic ties between Arab nations and Israel. He suggested he may decide against signing a peace deal with Iran unless those countries complied. "They owe it to us," he said. "I'm not sure we should make the deal if they don't sign."

A pattern of threats

According to a CNN report cited by multiple outlets, Oman is at least the 15th country Trump has either threatened to attack, refused to rule out attacking, or actually attacked during his presidency. Nearly all of these cases have occurred in the first 16 months of his second term. In this term alone, Trump has launched attacks in seven countries: Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. The Middle East has been a particular focus. Oman, situated on the Arabian Peninsula, is a key US ally that hosts American naval vessels and has historically served as a mediator between Washington and Tehran.