A Fox News host was reportedly visibly surprised after Donald Trump suggested he could launch military action against Oman amid tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump made the remarks during a question-and-answer session following a cabinet meeting, when he stated that Oman should “behave like everybody else” regarding control of the strategic maritime passage, adding that otherwise “we’d have to blow them up.”
According to John Roberts, a host at Fox News, the comment was unexpected even within the context of Trump’s often combative political rhetoric. He said the statement drew attention because it represented a direct threat toward a long-standing U.S. ally, something rarely seen in diplomatic discourse.
“President Trump became the first American president that I know of to threaten military action against Oman, saying they have to behave like everybody else or we’ll blow them up. I’m not sure what all of that was about,” Roberts later wrote on his X account.
The incident comes amid growing tensions in the Persian Gulf, particularly surrounding discussions about possible control or taxation of vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic route through which a significant share of the world’s oil supply is transported.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: The Strait is going to be open to everybody. It’s international waters. We’ll watch over it, but nobody’s going to control it.
Oman will behave like everybody else or we’ll have to blow them up. They understand that. pic.twitter.com/hCs1tIhZGP
— Department of State (@StateDept) May 27, 2026
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Photo and video: Public Domain / X @StateDept. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
