Opinion

Blockade 101: American sea power on display as Trump corners Iran and warns off China

China imports about 11M barrels of oil per day, with 90% moving by sea routes the US Navy now controls

By Rebecca Grant Fox News

Published April 15, 2026 5:00am EDT | Updated April 15, 2026 5:40am EDT

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US blockade on Strait of Hormuz in effect as Trump warns Iranian ships will be eliminated

Jonathan Schanzer, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, discusses the effectiveness of the U.S. blockade on the Strait of Hormuz while highlighting sanction power and coordinated efforts against the Iranian regime.

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At this moment in time, President Donald Trump has control of the Strait of Hormuz. His short-term goal, of course, is to pressure Iran’s leaders to give up their nuclear ambitions. Yet Trump’s blockade is also a major geopolitical hammer on China. For now, oil and petrochemical shipments will flow out of that waterway only under the rules of the U.S. Navy. All China can do is watch.

"If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED, using the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at Sea," Trump wrote. "It is quick and brutal."

Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander, United States Central Command, has come up with a brilliant plan to pin down Iran while leaving Gulf........

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