Trump vows Hormuz strikes to continue, says deal still possible

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, Trump said US forces were conducting operations to eliminate Iran's ability to threaten the strategic waterway. "We're attacking them tonight, and we're taking out all of their capability for anything having to do with the Strait of Hormuz," he said. The remarks came as Washington launched its third consecutive night of military strikes against Tehran, with the White House stating operations aimed to degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping.

Accusations of broken negotiations

Trump accused Iranian leadership of repeatedly abandoning potential agreements after appearing to make progress. "They made a deal. They broke it — probably 10 times — and they killed a lot of people ... They've been negotiating for 47 years, but nobody has ever hit them militarily. We're hitting them very hard," he said. The president did not specify which agreement he was referencing, though his comments suggested frustration with decades of diplomatic engagement with Tehran.

Diplomatic path remains open

Despite the escalating military campaign, Trump maintained that a negotiated settlement was still achievable. Asked whether he believed a deal remained within reach, the president replied: "Yeah, I think a deal is possible." The administration has continued to emphasize that strikes are intended to degrade military capabilities rather than pursue regime change, though tensions have mounted following the blockade of the strait — a vital chokepoint for global energy shipments.

Reimbursement demanded from Gulf allies

Trump also stated that Washington expects compensation from regional partners for ensuring maritime security in the strait. "I want to be reimbursed because we're protecting a very rich portion of the world. We're spending money, and so what we've done is we are going to be reimbursed for protection," he said, naming Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain. The demand signals a shift toward transactional security relationships as the conflict enters its second week with no diplomatic breakthrough.