Donald Trump’s message about the strait has been criticised. (Image: Getty)
US President Donald Trump has been criticised for his choice of words in his message announcing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz for the rest of the ceasefire.
Mehdi Hasan, a British-American journalist, highlighted with a comment on X how the American president used a different name for the Strait of Hormuz, saying his words looked like “total capitulation”.
Hasa said: “Trump just publicly referred to the Strait of Hormuz as the ‘Strait of Iran’. Not only does this look like total capitulation from his administration but I am trying to imagine the GOP/Fox response if Joe Biden had said this.”
This came after Israeli journalist and close ally of Benjamin Netanyahu, Yinon Magal, said: “Trump Surrenders to Iran.”
Mr Trump published several posts on Truth Social following the announcement from Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghici who said the Strait of Hormuz was “declared completely open” for the “remaining period of ceasefire”.
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Trump just publicly referred to the Strait of Hormuz as the “Strait of Iran.” Not only does this look like total capitulation from his administration but I am trying to imagine the GOP/Fox response if Joe Biden had said this. pic.twitter.com/VHF4PkaAW4
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) April 17, 2026
Mr Trump said: “IRAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE STRAIT OF IRAN IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE. THANK YOU!” In a separate post, however, he also said: “BUT THE NAVAL BLOCKADE WILL REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT AS IT PERTAINS TO IRAN, ONLY, UNTIL SUCH TIME AS OUR TRANSACTION WITH IRAN IS 100% COMPLETE.
“THIS PROCESS SHOULD GO VERY QUICKLY IN THAT MOST OF THE POINTS ARE ALREADY NEGOTIATED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER! PRESIDENT DONALD J.TRUMP”. In one of his messages he referred to the Strait of Hormuz to ‘Strait of Iran’.
The US President also took the chance to criticise again his NATO allies, including the UK. He said the announcement regarding the strait “feels good,” but also added it was “too bad” he didn’t have help from NATO which he called a “paper tiger”.
As Dan Rivers, ITV US correspondent, revealed, Mr Trump also said relationship with the UK and British PM Keir Starmer are “not good, not good at all”.
The American President said UK-US relations are ‘not good’. (Image: Getty)
Taking on Truth Social again, the American President further dismissed European efforts in another message. He said: “Now that the Hormuz Strait situation is over, I received a call from NATO asking if we would need some help. I TOLD THEM TO STAY AWAY, UNLESS THEY JUST WANT TO LOAD UP THEIR SHIPS WITH OIL. They were useless when needed, a Paper Tiger! President DJT”
PM Keir Starmer said he would “do everything I can” to alleviate the impact of the Iran war on the public and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Asked what the point of Friday’s meeting with fellow leaders in Paris was, the Prime Minister told reporters: “It is very important that we build a coalition of countries around the principle that the ceasefire should be permanent, there should be a deal, and that the Strait of Hormuz is open.
“It is in all of our interests to do that, because what’s happening in the war in Iran is affecting each of our economies.
