{"id":60812,"date":"2026-04-12T10:38:26","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T14:38:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/trump-signals-blockade-of-strait-of-hormuz-predicts-oil-price-volatility-ahead-of-midterms\/60812\/"},"modified":"2026-04-12T10:38:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T14:38:26","slug":"trump-signals-blockade-of-strait-of-hormuz-predicts-oil-price-volatility-ahead-of-midterms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/trump-signals-blockade-of-strait-of-hormuz-predicts-oil-price-volatility-ahead-of-midterms\/60812\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump Signals Blockade of Strait of Hormuz, Predicts Oil Price Volatility Ahead of Midterms"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The U.S. intends to blockade the Strait of Hormuz<\/strong> to &quot;wrest the card&quot; from Iranian control, a move President <a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/live\/trump-stock-market\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Trump\">Trump<\/a> claims will eventually lead to lower energy prices despite initial market shocks.<\/li>\n<li><strong>International military support is mounting<\/strong> as the United Kingdom and other nations deploy minesweepers to the region, though <a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/live\/trump-stock-market\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Trump\">Trump<\/a> criticized Japan and South Korea for a lack of assistance.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Oil and gas prices remain a primary political concern<\/strong> ahead of the midterm elections, with the President acknowledging that prices could fluctuate higher before a predicted long-term decline.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Iran has issued a stern warning of retaliation<\/strong> via the Tasnim News Agency, cautioning against any &quot;wrong move&quot; in the strategic waterway as regional tensions reach a breaking point.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Diplomatic efforts continue in the background<\/strong> as Oman\u2019s Foreign Minister urges a ceasefire extension, suggesting that &quot;painful concessions&quot; from all sides may be necessary to avoid full-scale conflict.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In a series of rapid-fire statements on Sunday, President Donald Trump outlined a high-stakes strategy to seize control of the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>, aiming to neutralize Iran&#39;s ability to disrupt global energy markets. Trump told <em>Fox News<\/em> that the U.S. will move to close the strait, a process he admitted &quot;will take some time,&quot; while senior officials told <em>Axios<\/em> the goal is to permanently remove Iran&#39;s primary geopolitical leverage.<\/p>\n<p>Energy markets are reacting to the prospect of a blockade, with the United States Oil Fund (<a href=\"\/stock\/USO\">USO<\/a>) seeing increased volatility as traders weigh the risk of supply disruptions. Trump noted that while <strong>oil prices<\/strong> might not decline initially, he expects a significant drop once the conflict is resolved, famously remarking that &quot;gas prices haven&#39;t gone up as much as I thought&quot; given the severity of the situation.<\/p>\n<p>The President&#39;s rhetoric regarding <strong>Iran<\/strong> has shifted toward the possibility of &quot;regime change,&quot; noting that Iranian delegates were &quot;sharp&quot; and &quot;good&quot; after such a transition. He credited his aggressive social media presence for bringing Tehran back to the bargaining table and predicted that the Iranians would eventually &quot;give us everything we want&quot; despite their current threats of retaliation.<\/p>\n<p>On the international front, the U.S. is seeking a coalition to maintain maritime security, with Trump claiming that <strong>NATO<\/strong> is now willing to assist after previous hesitations. While the <strong>United Kingdom<\/strong> is reportedly sending minesweepers to join U.S. efforts, Trump expressed frustration with <strong>Japan<\/strong> and <strong>South Korea<\/strong>, stating they &quot;haven&#39;t helped&quot; despite their heavy reliance on Middle Eastern crude.<\/p>\n<p>Major energy producers like ExxonMobil (<a href=\"\/stock\/XOM\">XOM<\/a>) and Chevron (<a href=\"\/stock\/CVX\">CVX<\/a>) are monitoring the situation closely as the U.S. military presence expands. <em>Oman\u2019s Foreign Minister<\/em> has called for calm, urging both Washington and Tehran to continue talks and extend the current ceasefire to prevent a catastrophic escalation in the world&#39;s most vital oil transit point.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways The U.S. intends to blockade the Strait of Hormuz to &quot;wrest the card&quot; from Iranian control, a move 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