Trump Blocks Iranian Oil Exports via Hormuz Strait

Trump tries Iran’s playbook. This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here. Welcome to The Logoff: After the US and Iran failed to reach a longer-term peace agreement over the weekend, President Donald Trump is trying something new: blockading the Strait of Hormuz. How does that work? Iran already closed the Strait, a crucial passage for oil and natural gas, to most foreign traffic shortly after the US-Iran war began. Now, Trump’s blockade will also stymie traffic to Iranian ports and limit Iran’s ability to sell its own oil, further disrupting the global market. CENTCOM, the US military command covering the Middle East, has said that the blockade does not extend to ships “transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports” — but given the Strait’s ongoing closure, it’s unlikely much other traffic will resume unless Iran wants it to. What is Trump trying to accomplish? Trump still wants the Strait of Hormuz fully reopened, which last week’s ceasefire — despite his demands — did not achieve. Now, he appears to be betting that imposing his own closure targeting Iranian shipments will force Iran to give ground. In a Truth Social post over the weekend, he wrote that “At some point, we will reach an ‘ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO IN, ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO OUT’ basis” for the Strait. What’s the context? As we mentioned above, US and Iranian delegations met in Pakistan over the weekend to try to negotiate a peace deal addressing the ongoing conflict, the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran’s nuclear ambitions. How MAGA’s favorite strongman finally lost Hope vs. optimism, explainedPodcast How Austin’s stunning drop in rents explains housing in America Take a mental break with the newest Vox crossword Did the Trump administration threaten the pope? This is the title for the native ad What the Iran war is doing to the economy, briefly explained. The status of US-Iran negotiations, briefly explained. A new executive order attempts to seize control of mail-in voting. Gas — and lots of others things — are still getting more expensive. Good news for your upcoming flight. Are US-Iran negotiations going anywhere? This is the title for the native ad