Trump Claims Iran‘s Military is Decimated: What This Means for Asia’s Energy Security

U.S. President Donald Trump holds a press conference on the Iran war in the White House briefing room in Washington D.C. on the 6th (local time). / EPA·Yonhap

On the 11th (local time), as U.S.-Iran talks opened in Pakistan, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that the United States had launched operations to secure the Strait of Hormuz for countries around the world, including South Korea, Japan and China.

Trump asserted that Iran’s naval, air, and missile facilities have been effectively destroyed. He also expressed frustration that beneficiary countries have not stepped up to reopen the strait themselves. Analysts say his comments appear aimed at shifting responsibility onto allies that have so far declined to immediately deploy forces to the Strait of Hormuz.

◇ Trump: U.S. begins clearing the Strait of Hormuz for the world…says China, Japan, South Korea, France and Germany lack “courage or will”

Trump said, “We are now starting operations to clear the Strait of Hormuz for nations around the world, including China, Japan, South Korea, France and Germany.” He then criticized those countries, saying they lack the courage or the will to carry out the task themselves.

Trump has repeatedly voiced displeasure with allies that did not immediately respond to U.S. requests to dispatch forces to the strait. He has maintained that countries most dependent on the waterway should take the lead in reopening it after U.S. operations effectively shut it down.

Illustration taken on March 2 (local time) showing 3D-printed crude oil storage tanks and pump jacks, alongside a map indicating the Strait of Hormuz and Iran. / Reuters·Yonhap

◇ Iran’s navy and air force “gone,” Trump says — claims all 28 mine-laying boats have sunk

Trump told followers that Iran’s military has been comprehensively degraded. “Their navy is gone, their air force is gone, their air defenses don’t exist, and radars have been neutralized,” he said. He added that most missile and drone production facilities have been destroyed and that the weapons themselves have been hit. Citing mines as Iran’s remaining threat, he claimed that all 28 mine-laying vessels have sunk, arguing that the practical danger has been removed.

◇ Empty tankers heading to the U.S. — signals shift in oil-loading flows

Trump also tied the operations to changes in energy markets. “Interestingly, in many countries empty tankers are heading to the United States to load oil,” he said. Observers interpret that as a claim that, amid disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, oil flows are shifting toward the U.S.

◇ Posted the day U.S.-Iran talks began — Trump stresses Iran is “losing miserably”

The post drew notice because it was published the same day U.S. and Iranian delegations met in Pakistan. Trump said the “fake news” media portray Iran as winning, but he insisted the opposite is true and accused major outlets of mischaracterizing the conflict.

By enumerating Iran’s alleged military collapse with specific counts (the destruction of 28 mine-laying vessels) and listing damaged capabilities (navy, air force, air defenses, radars, missile factories), the message appears intended to signal U.S. strength at the outset of negotiations.