President Donald Trump stated on Friday that with additional time, the United States could secure the Strait of Hormuz and seize control of oil supplies, calling it a potential financial windfall for the country. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed the U.S. could "OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE," describing it as a potential "gusher" for the world. His message did not clarify how the U.S. would overcome Iranian control over the waterway or specify which oil reserves he intended to target. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, remains a vital route for global energy transport and has been effectively restricted by Iran since the conflict began, disrupting supply chains and driving up energy prices.
Trump also criticized Western allies for failing to act on his repeated calls to form a naval coalition aimed at reopening the Strait. In a Wednesday interview with The Telegraph, he reiterated his skepticism of NATO, calling the alliance a "paper tiger" and suggesting he was reconsidering U.S. membership. "I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger and Putin knows that too, by the way," he said. Meanwhile, the White House submitted a $1.5 trillion (€1.3 trillion) defense budget proposal to Congress on Friday, marking the largest annual increase in Pentagon spending since World War II. The request includes a $445 billion, or 42%, hike from the 2026 budget, though presidential proposals are non-binding and require congressional approval. The document also proposes a 10% reduction in non-defense spending by shifting responsibilities to state and local governments.
The budget reflects Trump's prioritization of military spending over domestic programs, as he argued in a private White House event that federal resources should focus on warfare rather than social services. "We're fighting wars. We can't take care of day care," he said. "It's not possible for us to take care of...Medicaid, Medicare, all these individual things. They can do it on a state basis." The proposal, prepared by Budget Director Russ Vought, serves as a framework for Congress as lawmakers draft their own spending bills to prevent government shutdowns.
When Trump says the U.S. could "take the oil" from the Strait of Hormuz, he isn't just posturing—he's revealing a raw, zero-sum view of global energy that ignores the economic fallout for countries like Nigeria. His $1.5 trillion defense push isn't about security; it's a signal that wartime spending will gut domestic programs Nigerians rely on, from healthcare to education. The real gamble here is that Congress, already fractured, will rubber-stamp this blank check while ordinary Americans—and the rest of the world—pay the price in higher energy costs and shrinking social safety nets.
