Trump threatened to bomb Oman during a Fox News interview on August 17.
The president, 80, issued the warning to the longtime US ally during a morning appearance on the network, stating he would “bomb the [expletive] out of” the Gulf nation if it proceeds with negotiations with Iran over reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Trump made clear that any deal on the critical waterway must involve the United States and his administration.
Trump warned that he would not hesitate to strike if “Oman gets in the way” of American interests in the region. The strait, a narrow channel connecting the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, handles roughly one-fifth of global petroleum shipments and has been a flashpoint amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran.
The threat marks the second time in months that Trump has publicly warned Oman. During a Cabinet meeting in May, a reporter asked whether he was comfortable with Oman sharing control of the strait with Tehran. He responded: “The strait will be open to everybody. Nobody is going to control it… We will watch over it.”
In a direct threat to the country, Trump added: “Oman will behave just like everybody else or we’ll have to blow them up. They understand that. They’ll be fine.”
Oman and the United States have maintained formal diplomatic relations since 1833, when the two countries signed a Treaty of Amity and Commerce. The agreement made Oman one of the earliest Middle Eastern nations to establish ties with Washington. The sultanate has historically served as a regional mediator, including between the US and Iran, and has been regarded as a stable partner in an otherwise volatile region.
Trump’s August 17 remarks escalated the rhetoric significantly, explicitly tying military action to Oman’s diplomatic engagement with Iran. The president’s insistence on US involvement in any Hormuz negotiations reflects his broader posture of maximum pressure toward Tehran, which has included renewed sanctions and military positioning in the Gulf.
The Fox News interview also underscored Trump’s willingness to threaten traditional allies when he perceives them as undermining American leverage. His warning that Oman must not “get in the way” suggests he views any independent Gulf diplomacy as a challenge to US regional dominance.
In the viral moment that preceded this latest outburst, Trump had already alarmed observers in May by casually stating the US might “blow up” Oman during a televised Cabinet session. That remark, delivered in response to a reporter’s question about shared strait management, drew limited attention at the time but now appears part of a sustained pattern of threats against the allied nation.
The renewed rhetoric comes as the Trump administration continues to pursue a hardline approach to Iran, with the president repeatedly rejecting multilateral frameworks for regional security in favor of bilateral deals under American terms. Oman’s traditional role as a backchannel between adversaries appears increasingly precarious under this framework.
Trump is scheduled to hold a campaign rally in Milwaukee on August 19.