this post was submitted on 12 Apr 2026
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[–] ryper@lemmy.ca 125 points 4 days ago (9 children)

"Effective immediately, the ​United States Navy, the Finest in ​the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING ‌any ⁠and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz," said Trump, who is strongly opposed to the ​idea of ​Iran charging ⁠ships a toll to pass through the strait.

"I have also ​instructed our Navy to seek and ​interdict ⁠every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one ⁠who ​pays an illegal toll ​will have safe passage on the high seas," he ​said.

Pretty sure what Trump is opposed to is him not getting a cut of the toll.

[–] floofloof@lemmy.ca 75 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Once again the whole world has to suffer because of Trump's insatiable ego and greed, and his bottomless stupidity. May he be gone soon.

[–] KoboldCoterie@pawb.social 36 points 4 days ago

He did previously say that as the "winners" of the war, the US was entitled to collect that toll, basically. So, yeah, I think you're spot on.

[–] andrewrgross@slrpnk.net 29 points 4 days ago (1 children)

This is truly an April Fools-level move.

The US is closing the Strait? The generals couldn't open it, so Hegseth said, 'Okay! I've got it! We declare that WE'RE closing it, NOT THEM!'

How ... is this better?

[–] stickyprimer@lemmy.world 13 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Iran was allowing some ships through. The logic is that if it’s closed to the US it must be closed to everyone (it was not before).

Do I think this is a good move? No. Do I think Trump and Hegseth have three brain cells between them? No.

But it also isn’t hard to understand their angle here. It’s not better for anyone. But the idea is to make it worse for Iran than the previous phase, where they had control of the strait.

[–] electric_nan@lemmy.ml 6 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Gonna be a hard sell to the rest of the world who is largely able to negotiate passage with Iran. US navy is gonna hijack ships enroute from the strait to China?

[–] stickyprimer@lemmy.world 7 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I agree. A US blockade of Hormuz was actually always a reserve strategy to put a chokehold on China if they invade Taiwan. Now we’re just playing that card for no fucking reason at all. This administration is dumb as fuck and I can’t believe there isn’t even anyone in the military who can stop them. I guess that’s what we see with Hegseth’s long line of dismissals.

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[–] fartographer@lemmy.world 20 points 4 days ago

Oh good. Nazi pirates. How did we end up with a real life plot more stupid than Water World?

[–] ThePantser@sh.itjust.works 7 points 4 days ago (1 children)

No one ⁠who ​pays an illegal toll ​will have safe passage on the high seas

Does that mean they are gonna attack anyone that paid? Also when he starts charging does that mean they will destroy any ships right after they pay?

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[–] JaumeI@programming.dev 85 points 4 days ago (3 children)

Isn't that... piracy? Not USAs waters, not USAs petrol...

[–] Pickleideas@lemmy.world 59 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Hasn't stopped them from stealing oil from Venezuela and Cuba

[–] JaumeI@programming.dev 6 points 4 days ago (5 children)

Sure it hasn't. But now they are ruining the pockets of the whole world.

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[–] flandish@lemmy.world 11 points 4 days ago (3 children)

no. it’s invasion and war.

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[–] Shellofbiomatter@lemmus.org 53 points 4 days ago (4 children)

Wasn't Iran already doing that before and wasn't the main goal to open it up again?

[–] magnue@lemmy.world 48 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Yeah but if they say it this way it sounds like they're in control of the situation

[–] Eril@feddit.org 5 points 4 days ago

It's so in a few days he can "re-open" the strait again, declaring that everything is back to normal: "No president ever opened as many straits as I did"

[–] mctoasterson@reddthat.com 15 points 4 days ago (4 children)

The idea being to choke off Iran's ability to use it at all. This kills their remaining income stream and also incents the Chinese and others who thought they had a workaround (the tolls) to instead put pressure on Iran.

[–] marxismtomorrow@lemmy.today 8 points 4 days ago (3 children)

...You understand Iran has more revenue streams and can overland oil and materials to china... right?

[–] MartianSands@sh.itjust.works 9 points 4 days ago (2 children)

The fact that it's a bad idea doesn't mean that isn't the reason

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[–] finallymadeanaccount@lemmy.world 40 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Is it my imagination, or is that stretch of water and the water surrounding it not US territory, thus making what he wants to do (interdict) kind of ... piracy?

[–] Eric@lemmy.blahaj.zone 12 points 4 days ago

Blockading is considered an act of war

[–] whotookkarl@lemmy.dbzer0.com 31 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] GalacticSushi@piefed.blahaj.zone 20 points 4 days ago (2 children)

I think he's just pissed off that Iran is letting Chinese ships thorough. So now the question is whether Trump is stupid and deranged enough to attack any Chinese ships that ignore this illegal blockade, which would probably kick off World War 3 in earnest.

[–] NotSteve_@lemmy.ca 7 points 3 days ago

If it broke out in WW3 then I think most of the world's public support would be behind China. The US has always been a hostile bully but Americans generally kept it contained to poorer countries that didn't have as much of a voice. Now though...

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[–] hemko@lemmy.dbzer0.com 16 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Lol is that a sea mine XD

[–] friend_of_satan@lemmy.world 14 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Open the fucking strait you crazy bastard!

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[–] Aceticon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 3 days ago (1 children)

What's next: America blowing up its own bases in the Middle East? Killing its own soldiers? Crashing its own planes?

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[–] crystalmerchant@lemmy.world 10 points 3 days ago

Boy it turns out that George Lucas sure was right about the importance of blockading a trade route

[–] Akh@lemmy.world 15 points 4 days ago (1 children)

He cant blockade something controlled by someone else who already shut it.

[–] FancyPantsFIRE@lemmy.world 15 points 4 days ago (1 children)

“You can’t quit, you’re fired!”

[–] stephan262@lemmy.world 5 points 4 days ago

Well if you're going to fire me, I'm gonna fire the warehouse.

[–] ShellMonkey@piefed.socdojo.com 12 points 4 days ago

He wants the money, that Iran wasn't charging before he invaded, for himself is as near I can figure. Master negotiator with a grand plan.

[–] redsand@infosec.pub 9 points 4 days ago
[–] roguetrick@lemmy.world 10 points 4 days ago

Jesus Christ. I certainly didn't have this on my rapidly flailing bingo card of the US punching itself in the face.

[–] BigMacHole@thelemmy.club 8 points 4 days ago

~~Open~~ Close the STRAIT!

-Trump!

[–] Wataba@sh.itjust.works 6 points 4 days ago

The American military are legitimate targets.

[–] Steve@startrek.website 5 points 4 days ago

What a stupid piece of shit

[–] Murse@slrpnk.net 3 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Surely this time people will stop talking about the Epstein files...

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[–] orlyowl@piefed.ca 5 points 4 days ago

This is a terrifyingly ridiculous timeline we find ourselves in.

[–] rayyy@lemmy.world 5 points 4 days ago

That's bound to increase the price of oil.

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