Trump tells aides he is willing to end Iran war without reopening Strait of Hormuz — WSJ

The Wall Street Journal reported, citing administration officials, that President Trump had told aides he was willing to end the military campaign against Iran even if the Strait of Hormuz remained largely closed and leave the complex operation to reopen it for a later date. According to the report, Trump and his aides had assessed in recent days that a mission to forcibly reopen the Hormuz chokepoint would push the conflict beyond his stated timeline of four to six weeks. Trump decided that the US should achieve its main goals — hobbling Iran's navy and missile stocks — and then wind down the current military campaign. The report was confirmed by Reuters, which sourced it to administration officials. The disclosure represents a significant strategic reversal: on March 30, Treasury Secretary Bessent had stated the US would take control of the Strait 'over time,' and Trump himself had repeatedly threatened to seize Kharg Island and Iran's oil infrastructure. Separately, Trump publicly threatened on March 31 to 'obliterate' Iran's electric plants and oil wells if a deal was not reached 'shortly' — a public escalatory threat running alongside the private Hormuz concession. The dual messaging suggests internal divisions within the administration between maximum-pressure public posture and a pragmatic desire to end the campaign within the self-imposed timeline. Iran's Hormuz closure remains largely in effect, with a partial agreement allowing approximately 20 ships per day.