President Donald Trump raised eyebrows Wednesday by boasting he expects “a big, fat, hug” from Chinese leader Xi Jinping after what he claims is a decisive move to keep one of the world’s most critical chokepoints flowing.
“China is very happy that I am permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote on Truth Social in a characteristically bombastic post. “I am doing it for them, also – And the World. This situation will never happen again… President Xi will give me a big, fat, hug when I get there in a few weeks.”
The Strait of Hormuz — a narrow waterway through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply passes — has become the economic heart of the escalating U.S.-Iran conflict. When Tehran choked off tanker traffic, global energy markets jolted, sending prices climbing and reminding the world just how fragile supply lines can be.
Enter Trump, who’s never been shy about using American power — or talking about it.
After U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets kicked off the latest round of hostilities, the president doubled down with a warning that had legal scholars clutching their casebooks. Earlier this month, Trump threatened “devastating consequences” against Iranian infrastructure — including bridges and power systems — if the strait wasn’t reopened. Critics on both sides of the aisle cried foul, with some international law experts labeling the rhetoric as crossing into war crime territory.
Democrats in Washington went even further, floating talk of impeachment and even invoking the 25th Amendment — a familiar political reflex in the Trump era.
But while Beltway critics hyperventilate, the White House is signaling something closer to victory.
On Monday, Trump escalated with a U.S. naval blockade aimed at forcing the issue. Beijing didn’t take kindly to the move, with China’s defense minister bluntly warning Washington “not to interfere with our affairs” and insisting, “Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz, and it is open for us.”
Yet by Tuesday, reports indicated that Iran-linked vessels were moving through the strait anyway — a sign, Trump allies argue, that pressure works.
The president is now framing the entire episode as a masterclass in dealmaking, claiming China has agreed to stop sending weapons to Iran — a potentially major geopolitical shift if true — and painting himself as the guy who kept the oil flowing without dragging the world into a wider war.
“Doesn’t that beat fighting???” Trump quipped in his post, before quickly reminding everyone that the U.S. is still “far better than anyone else!!!” if it comes to blows.
That’s the Trump doctrine in a nutshell: peace through strength — with a side of showmanship.
Of course, whether Xi is actually waiting with open arms — or just watching America and Iran play chicken from a safe distance — is another question entirely.
Trump is slated to head to China on May 14, where we’ll find out if this much-hyped “hug” is reality.
