Trump’s Bold Proposal: Joint Control of Strategic Strait of Hormuz Sparks Global Debate

On Monday morning, President Donald Trump hinted at the possibility of joint management over the strategic Strait of Hormuz during a conversation with reporters. During this exchange, he also appeared uncertain about the current leadership in Iran.

Trump addressed the media on the tarmac at Palm Beach International Airport as he prepared to leave Florida following a weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort. CNN’s Kaitlan Collins inquired about who was in charge of the Strait of Hormuz.

In response, the President expressed optimism, stating that the Strait would be accessible ‘very soon’ if a deal he’s been hinting at with Iran is finalized.

He further elaborated on the future of the waterway, saying, “It’ll be jointly controlled.”

Pressed for more details on who would share this control, Trump humorously suggested, “maybe me, maybe me.”

‘Me and the ayatollah, whoever the ayatollah is, whoever the next ayatollah [is.],’ the President continued.

Trump then argued that no matter what, Iran’s next leader would represent ‘regime change.’ 

‘There’s automatically a regime change,’ the President added. 

President Donald Trump floated joint control of the Strait of Hormuz and suggested he didn’t know who was currently leading Iran when responding to a reporter on Monday morning

Smoke plumes out of an oil tanker on the Strait of Hormuz amid the Iran war. Trump suggested the major shipping passageway could be ‘jointly controlled’ by the US and ‘whoever the ayatollah is’

Leaders of Iran’s Islamic Republic named Mojtaba Khamenei the new Supreme Leader after his father, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the first day of Israeli and US strikes.

But Trump confirmed that it’s not Khamenei who the US is negotiating with.

‘We have not heard from the son,’ he told reporters. ‘We don’t know if he’s living.’ 

Instead the President teased that a Iran ceasefire deal was being worked out with somebody very ‘respected.’ 

‘We’re dealing with some people that I find very reasonable, very solid, the people within know who they are, they’re very respected, and maybe one of them will be exactly what we’re looking for,’ Trump said. 

‘Look at Venezuela how well that’s working out,’ he added. 

After the US’s January capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, the Trump administration left Maduro’s No. 2, Delcy Rodríguez, in charge. 

Axios reported Monday that Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were in touch with the speaker of the Iranian parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, according to an Israeli source. 

President Donald Trump threatened to blow up Iranian power plants on Saturday night if Iran didn’t free up the Strait of Hormuz (pictured) but on Monday  morning said he’d hold off on such an attack, due to negotiations proceeding 

Trump hasn’t identified the Iranian official talking to the US, for fear it would get him killed. 

‘We are dealing with a man that I believe is the most respected,’ Trump said. 

The Israeli source also told Axios that mediating countries were trying to convene a meeting this week in Islamabad, Pakistan, with Ghalibaf and other officials representing the Iranians.

Witkoff, Kushner and possibly Vice President JD Vance would represent the American side, the source told Axios. 

The President’s comments Monday morning marked a notable change in tone from the threat he made on Truth Social Saturday night, saying he would start striking Iranian power plants if the country didn’t open the Strait of Hormuz.

He called that threat off Monday morning due to the progress made with negotiations. 

The Saturday night threat to blow up Iranian power plants over the Strait of Hormuz also marked a departure from how he said he viewed the issue Friday when departing the White House. 

Trump shrugged off Iran’s chokehold on the Strait, saying the US didn’t ‘use’ it.

‘We don’t use the Strait,’ he said. ‘The United States, we don’t need it. Europe needs it. Korea, Japan, China, a lot of other people.’

‘So, they’ll have to get involved a little bit on that one,’ Trump said.