U.S. President Donald Trump said he had long predicted that Iran would attempt to use the Strait of Hormuz as a strategic weapon, making the remarks during a luncheon with the Board of the Kennedy Center.
Speaking about the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, Trump said the possibility of Iran targeting or threatening the strait had been something he anticipated years ago.
“I knew about the Strait — that it would be a weapon,” Trump said. “I predicted a long time ago that it would be used that way.”
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most strategically important maritime corridors in the world, with a significant portion of global oil shipments passing through the narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to international markets.
Trump also claimed that he had previously predicted several major geopolitical developments, including the attacks carried out by al-Qaeda on the United States in 2001.
According to Trump, he warned about Osama bin Laden and the potential threat he posed to the United States before the September 11 attacks.
“I predicted Osama bin Laden would knock out the World Trade Center,” Trump said. “I made that prediction a year before he did it.”
The president said he formed that assessment after watching an interview with bin Laden, which he said led him to believe that the al-Qaeda leader represented a serious threat.
“I watched him be interviewed one time and I said, that’s a bad guy. You better get him,” Trump said.
Trump added that he had documented his concerns about bin Laden in a book before the attacks occurred, suggesting that the warning had been publicly available before the events of September 11.
He also referenced former U.S. President Bill Clinton, saying that there had been opportunities to target bin Laden before the attacks but that those opportunities were not taken.
“President Clinton actually had a shot at him and he didn’t take it,” Trump said, though he added that he was not placing direct blame on Clinton for the outcome.
The remarks were made while Trump discussed broader geopolitical issues connected to the current conflict involving Iran and security concerns around the Strait of Hormuz, which has become a central point of tension due to threats against shipping and energy supplies.
Trump argued that the strait has increasingly become a strategic pressure point in global energy markets, as disruptions in the area can have immediate effects on oil prices and international trade.
The president’s comments reflect his view that long-standing geopolitical tensions surrounding Iran and maritime security in the Gulf region were predictable developments, particularly given the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz.
The ongoing military operations and diplomatic discussions surrounding the region have placed renewed focus on the security of the waterway and its impact on global energy markets.
