Critics mocked President Donald Trump's defense of rejecting Iran's ceasefire proposal, which he said would reopen a strait he claims to already control.
Trump made the remarks Saturday while speaking with reporters as he departed the White House, telling them he had turned down Tehran's latest offer because it would open the Strait of Hormuz right away.
"I'm rejecting their deal," Trump said. "They want to make a deal where they open the strait immediately...we're winning tremendously. We have total control of the Hormuz Strait...that deal would not be acceptable."
Trump argued Iran was pushing to reopen the waterway because it was "losing so badly" and had no money coming in. He claimed the U.S. had put up "the greatest blockade ever in military history," which he called "a wall of steel," and said 29 ships had come out of the strait the night before.
"They outsmarted themselves," Trump said, claiming Iran closed the strait to "cause a problem for the world" only for the U.S. to close it on them.
The explanation quickly drew ridicule online.
"The confused ramblings of a man who has no plan," wrote Matthew Boedy, a University of North Georgia professor.
Gregg Carlstrom, the Middle East correspondent for The Economist, pointed out that Trump was effectively rejecting a deal that would bring down gas prices, calling it "curious domestic messaging." He added that he suspected "this probably gives a boost to the officials in Tehran arguing in favor of escalation."
HuffPost senior White House correspondent S.V. Dáte similarly noted that Trump "is rejecting a deal that would immediately open the straits and lower oil prices."
Economist Dean Baker, co-founder of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, asked, "Since Trump has total control over the Strait, why is he letting so little oil through?"
Author and journalist Nina Burleigh dubbed the approach "Dr. Seuss diplomacy."
"They want to make a deal where they immediately do the thing that would lower your gas prices, and I'm rejecting it" seems like... curious domestic messaging
Also, would imagine this probably gives a boost to the officials in Tehran arguing in favor of escalation https://t.co/JHSJafLijG
— Gregg Carlstrom (@glcarlstrom) September 26, 2026