Trump in front of the Strait of Hormuz

Andrea Austria / Media Matters

Right-wing media figures have insisted “Iran cannot be in control” of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump just signaled he wants to end the war without reopening and securing it.

Figures in traditional right-wing media have repeatedly argued the US must secure the waterway because of its “absolute essential nature"

Written by Payton Armstrong & Jack Wheatley

Published

Right-wing media figures on cable news and at The Daily Wire have insisted for days that the Strait of Hormuz would need to be reopened outside of Iranian control in order for Trump’s war with Iran to be considered a success. But according to a March 31 Wall Street Journal report, Trump recently “told aides he’s willing to end the U.S. military campaign against Iran even if the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed … likely extending Tehran’s firm grip on the waterway and leaving a complex operation to reopen it for a later date.”

Trump’s reported comments seemingly ignore demands from right-wing media that the Strait reopen without Iranian oversight, including from Fox’s Brian Kilmeade, who said, “When this ends, Iran cannot be in control,” and a Newsmax guest who asserted, “If the Strait of Hormuz isn't really open, freely open, the president is going to look like he did not win this war.”

  • Right-wing media figures have said Trump’s war won’t be a success until the Strait of Hormuz is open and secure

    • Fox News host Brian Kilmeade: “The bottom line is when this ends, Iran cannot be in control” of the Strait of Hormuz. He added that it “would be an ongoing display of power” if Iran remained in control and was able to close it again. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 3/30/26]
    • Days later, Kilmeade again said, “The one thing we can't leave the Strait of Hormuz not open.” He added, “We cannot leave this battle and leave that. If nothing else, to our Gulf state allies, they need it open. So we can do it, so we should do it.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 4/1/26]
    • Fox guest Jim Hanson said Iran’s “ability to control the Strait of Hormuz still exists, so we’re going to have to find a lever there, and that may be the sticking point.” Host Will Cain replied, “Right, so the big one seems to be opening up the Strait of Hormuz.” [Fox News, The Will Cain Show, 3/25/26]
    • Fox host Laura Ingraham said there is an “absolute essential nature of securing safe passage through the Strait,” and asked her guest whether Kharg Island “is going to have to be occupied by American troops.” Guest Robert Greenway suggested the Strait would be open within two weeks and replied: “No occupation of it, no possession or seizure of it, in my estimation is necessary, and certainly, I think, the elimination of the threat along the Strait of Hormuz is nearly complete, and vessels should be able to begin passage again within the next two weeks, I think.” [Fox News, The Ingraham Angle, 3/23/26]
    • Newsmax guest Elliot Abrams said, “If the Strait of Hormuz isn't really open, freely open, the president is going to look like he did not win this war.” Host Rob Schmitt said: “I don't think that's politically viable for the president to walk away, and even if there's just a last gasp of this regime still there, if we walk away, I think that's going to look like a failure. It's going to be a political disaster for him.” [Newsmax, Rob Schmitt Tonight, 3/30/26]
    • The Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro said “there is no way to extricate ourselves” from the Iran war “by simply running away” that “does not leave Iran in control of the Strait of Hormuz.” [The Daily Wire, The Ben Shapiro Show, 3/26/26]
    • Four days later, Shapiro predicted “it is highly unlikely” that Trump leaves the current Iranian government in control of the Strait of Hormuz. He added: “There's only one way that Iran gets out of this situation — it is if the U.S., Israel, the Gulf allies somehow decide to basically leave the Iranian regime in place and in effective control of the Strait of Hormuz.” [The Daily Wire, The Ben Shapiro Show, 3/30/26]
    • Newsmax host Greg Kelly said that Iran “certainly can’t be shutting down the Straits of Hormuz,” claiming: “I sense a deal by the end of this month.” [Newsmax, Greg Kelly Reports, 3/26/26]
    • On Fox, former acting national security adviser retired Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg declared: We “need to do it the way the Romans used to do it. You know, you need to put your legions on the ground to secure the territory and give them confidence that they can do it, that we can open up the Strait.” He went on: “You talk about boots on the ground and people ... basically clutch their pearls. But the fact is, over time, over history, the only way you solve a solution is to put boots on the ground.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 3/24/26]
    • Newsmax guest Blaine Holt said “the Straits must be open.” He added, “It's going to be picking from a list of probably really bad options.” [Newsmax, Wake Up America, 3/30/26]