Trump's Blockade Threat in Strait of Hormuz

Turn any article into a podcast. Upgrade now to start listening. Members can share articles with friends & family to bypass the paywall. You’re reading Wanderland, Kevin D. Williamson’s weekly newsletter on politics, policy, and culture. To unlock the full version, become a Dispatch member today. Donald Trump has said he means to run the country like a business, and he is. Negotiations led by J. D. Vance predictably failed to produce an agreement to open the Strait of Hormuz, and so now the Trump administration has announced that the United States will blockade the waterway. Given that this is the Trump administration we are talking about, that may or may not happen, but the psychology at play is transparent enough: Donald Trump is humiliated by his inability to force the Iranians to give him what he wants with threats of war crimes and genocide, and so now he will pretend that gutting worldwide energy markets and a great deal of non-energy trade to boot was his idea all along. With all due respect to my third-favorite cult (after Cthulhu worshipers and the Fair Tax guys) that is some sub-genius stuff right there. Kevin D. Williamson is national correspondent at The Dispatch and is based in Virginia. Prior to joining the company in 2022, he spent 15 years as a writer and editor at National Review, worked as the theater critic at the New Criterion, and had a long career in local newspapers. He is also a writer in residence at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. When Kevin is not reporting on the world outside Washington for his Wanderland newsletter, you can find him at the rifle range or reading a book about literally almost anything other than politics. Please note that we at The Dispatch hold ourselves, our work, and our commenters to a higher standard than other places on the internet. We welcome comments that foster genuine debate or discussion—including comments critical of us or our work—but responses that include ad hominem attacks on fellow Dispatch members or are intended to stoke fear and anger may be moderated. With your membership, you only have the ability to comment on The Morning Dispatch articles. Consider upgrading to join the conversation everywhere. More From Kevin D. Williamson Beware the Stranger, Professor Kendi Trump Is Anything but Unpredictable Gift this article to a friend Checking gift availability... of gift links remaining this month You've used all your gift links this month Click the button below to copy the article link to your clipboard. Share this article via email