12:38 19-04-2026

WSJ: Trump Team Misread Hormuz Strait Shutdown Risk

WSJ says Trump advisers were surprised by how quickly tanker traffic stalled and Iran shut the Hormuz Strait as talks with Tehran moved forward.

According to The Wall Street Journal, advisers to US President Donald Trump were caught off guard when tanker traffic began to halt after the bombing started. The newspaper reported that people around Trump were surprised by how quickly Iran moved to shut the Hormuz Strait.

The paper said Trump later expressed frustration at how vulnerable the waterway had proved to be, arguing that it could be blocked with striking ease, even by minimal means.

The Journal also reported that in late March, Trump instructed his negotiating team to find a way to open talks with Tehran. By April 8, the sides had announced a two-week truce. Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said work is now under way on a final peace agreement that is about 80 percent complete.

At the same time, the Hormuz Strait remains open to shipping, although the United States continues to enforce a naval blockade against Iran. Trump said that despite the continued passage of commercial vessels and the preservation of free navigation through the strait, restrictions on Tehran would remain fully in place until Washington and Tehran reach an agreement and bring the conflict to an end.