Trump falsely claims Iran's closure of Strait of Hormuz 'doesn't really affect' US despite gas price spike

President Trump claimed that Iran essentially shutting down the Strait of Hormuz 'doesn't really affect' the United States the way it does 'other countries.' FactCheck.org and CNN fact-checkers debunked this claim, noting that while the US imports a small share of oil from the Persian Gulf, Americans have been significantly affected by the global increase in oil prices resulting from the closure of this critical shipping chokepoint. The Strait of Hormuz, through which almost a fifth of world supplies of crude oil, oil products, and liquefied natural gas normally pass, has been effectively closed to tanker traffic since March 11, 2026, following Iran's retaliation for a joint US-Israeli attack on February 28. Gas prices spiked across the US as a result, with national average prices rising 18% in the two days following the closure, directly contradicting Trump's dismissal of the impact on American consumers.

"It doesn't really affect us the way it does other countries." — Trump made this statement during a White House press conference when asked about the economic impact of Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz on American consumers facing rising gas prices.