U.S. not reliant on Hormuz Strait, users should secure it, Trump says

The United States imports “almost no oil” through the Strait of Hormuz and is not reliant on the route, and countries that use it should ensure its security, U.S. President Donald Trump said in an address to the nation on April 1.

“We don’t need it. We haven’t needed it,” Trump said, adding that the United States was “in a very strong position for the future” thanks to its domestic energy resources.

He noted that the United States is one of the world’s largest producers of oil and gas and largely meets its domestic demand through its own production.

Trump also said Iran had been “completely decimated” militarily and economically, without providing evidence to support the claim.

The president called on countries dependent on the strategic energy route to take the lead in securing it.

“Countries that receive oil through that strait must ensure its safety,” he said.

Trump added that those countries should increase purchases of U.S. oil.

“Buy oil from the United States. We have plenty,” he said.

The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf with the Arabian Sea and is one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes, with roughly a fifth of global supply passing through it.

Security risks in the region typically drive oil prices higher and increase market volatility.

N.Tebrizli