President Donald Trump on Monday said that "to the best of our knowledge," the U.S. military has destroyed all of Iran's mine-laying ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking to reporters during a Trump-Kennedy Center board meeting at the White House, Trump said American forces have "hammered" Tehran's ability to menace commercial shipping in the narrow waterway that serves as a key artery for global energy trade.
"With more than 30 mine-laying ships destroyed, we hit, to the best of our knowledge, all of their mine-laying ships," Trump said during an event shown live by Newsmax, adding that U.S. officials do not yet know whether Iran successfully dropped any mines into the strait.
"We're not sure that any have been," he said. "If they do it, it's a form of suicide."
Trump framed the mine threat as the regime's longtime economic weapon — one that he said is being neutralized after a punishing U.S. campaign.
He touted sweeping strikes across Iran and argued the country has been reduced from a serious military danger to what he called a "paper tiger."
Even after the reported destruction of Iran's mine layers, Trump warned that the strait remains vulnerable because it is tight, close to shore, and can be disrupted by "a single terrorist" with a small missile or an explosive device.
That reality is why Trump said he is demanding real burden-sharing from nations whose economies depend far more on Hormuz than America does.
"We get less than 1% of our oil from the strait," Trump said, contrasting that with other major consumers. "Japan gets 95%, China gets 90% … South Korea gets 35%."
Trump said several nations have told him they are "on the way" to help secure the passage — including with minesweepers — though he declined to name them before an official announcement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials.
He also signaled frustration with allies he said have benefited from decades of U.S. protection but are suddenly hesitant when asked to contribute relatively modest capabilities.
"The level of enthusiasm matters to me," Trump said, recounting conversations in which he asked partners if they had minesweepers and was told, “We would rather not get involved.”
Pressed about France, Trump said he spoke with President Emmanuel Macron and rated him "an eight" out of 10 on cooperation, predicting France would help.
Background reporting has suggested the administration is working toward a multinational escort effort to keep tankers moving and deter Iranian harassment — a mission made more urgent by fear that mines could snarl traffic and send oil prices higher worldwide.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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