Trump To Countries Relying On Strait Of Hormuz: Help Us
Plus: Nationwide Blackouts Spark Protests In Cuba
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🚨 ONE THING WE’RE FOLLOWING
Trump Claims Countries Will Help Secure Strait Of Hormuz Despite Allies’ Refusal
President Trump said Monday that “numerous countries have told me they’re on the way” to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway near Iran where roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil flows.
ASKING FOR HELP: Over the weekend, Trump urged seven nations — including the U.K., China, France, Japan, and South Korea — to help secure the shipping route. So far, none have said publicly that they will help.
“Some are very enthusiastic about it, and some aren’t, and some are countries that we’ve helped for many, many years,” Trump said Monday, without naming any of the nations. At the same time, he said that he wants to see stronger “enthusiasm” from countries to send warships and help fully reopen the key waterway.
His comments come as the U.S. looks for ways to move oil through the Strait and bring down rising gas prices for Americans. On Monday, U.S. gas prices hit about $3.72 per gallon, according to the AAA — up from $2.93 a month ago. The price of international crude oil was above $100 per barrel on Monday, up nearly 40% since the war began Feb. 28.
WHY THE STRAIT MATTERS
The threat of Iranian strikes on boats or mines in the waterway has all but stopped vehicles carrying oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz. Several vessels have been attacked by Iran in recent weeks, though multiple safely navigated through the Strait this weekend. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC Monday that the U.S. is letting Indian and Iranian tankers through “to supply the rest of the world.”
IRAN: The new supreme leader claimed Thursday that the Strait is effectively closed during the ongoing conflict, though other regime officials have since said the passage remains open to most international shipping — except vessels tied to the U.S., Israel, and their allies.
THE IMPACT: Bessent said about 10-14% of global supply has been affected by the war — lower than the 20% that usually passes through the Strait — because Saudi Arabia and the UAE “have diverted production to the Red Sea.” The U.S. has also lifted some sanctions on Russian oil exports.
The U.S. does not directly rely on oil going through the Strait — most of it goes to China and Asian countries — but oil is traded on a global market, and crude oil prices have risen dramatically across the board.
WHAT ELSE TO KNOW
Iranian strikes continue to target civilian infrastructure in the Middle East, while conflict escalates between Israel and the Iranian proxy, Hezbollah, in Lebanon. Mosheh explains ⬆️ how Hezbollah operates inside Lebanon, and why Israel is intent on destroying the terror group.
📌An Iranian strike ignited a fuel tank at the Dubai International Airport on Monday.
The fire forced a brief suspension of all flights at one of the busiest airports in the world. The Dubai airport handles about 90 million passengers annually.
📌 Israel is expanding its ground operations in Lebanon, where more than a million people have now been displaced, according to the Lebanese government.
Israel said the man who rammed a truck into a suburban Detroit synagogue and school last Thursday appears to have been motivated by the recent deaths of his brothers in Lebanon, one of whom was a Hezbollah commander.
📌 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a video of himself getting a cup of coffee on Sunday, responding to rumors pushed by the Iranian regime that he was dead.
📌 President Trump voiced skepticism Monday over protests in Iran overthrowing the regime, arguing demonstrators face immediate and violent repression from security forces.
📌 Intel advisors told President Trump that the new Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei might be gay, according to reporting from the New York Post.
Mojtaba’s father, the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, doubted his suitability to rule the Islamic Republic for that reason. The Islamic regime criminalizes and sometimes issues the death penalty to people who engage in same-sex sexual activity.
🚨 ONE THING WE’RE FOLLOWING
Cubans Face Island-Wide Blackouts Following U.S. Energy Blockade
Cuban officials reported an island-wide blackout on Monday, leaving the country of roughly 11 million residents without power. Prolonged blackouts and food shortages sparked a rarely seen protest at the Communist Party headquarters in Morón on Saturday, according to Cuban state media.
Protesters also shouted “liberty,” made a bonfire with the office furniture, attempted to set the building on fire, and banged pots. Police detained five people from the demonstration, according to Cuban state media.
AND MORE: Residents in Cuba’s capital, Havana, gathered last week to bang pots in protest of the extended blackouts. Students also organized a sit-in on the steps of the University of Havana last Monday after the government suspended in-person classes over fuel shortages.
While blackouts are common in Cuba due to aging infrastructure, new U.S. pressure on oil shipments has sharply reduced fuel supplies — adding to the country’s already strained energy system. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel on Friday said the island had not received fuel shipments in more than three months.
PRESSURE ON CUBA
Historically, Cuba’s energy was subsidized by Venezuela. After the U.S. capture of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro in January, Trump has cut off the shipment of Venezuelan oil to Cuba and threatened to impose tariffs on any country that supplies the country with oil.
The oil blockade has exacerbated existing fuel, food, and medicine shortages in the country, which has been under a U.S. trade embargo since 1962.
Díaz-Canel said on Friday that Cuba has been relying instead on solar power, natural gas, and thermoelectric plants. He also said that the Cuban government has postponed surgery for tens of thousands of people because of the blackout.
RISING TENSIONS
Trump suggested last week that the U.S. could pursue what he called a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, saying the country is running out of energy and money. Cuba confirmed Friday that it was conducting talks in Washington to diffuse the situation, but has not since provided an update on the talks.
⏳ THE SPEED READ
🚨NATION
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles diagnosed with breast cancer (NBC)
Supreme Court to consider Trump administration’s efforts to end deportation protections for Syrians, Haitians (CBS)
Afghan man who served alongside US forces dies after less than a day in ICE custody, family and advocates say (CNN)
Rare severe storm outbreak targets East Coast, historic blizzard paralyzes the Midwest (FOX)
🌎 AROUND THE WORLD
Pope Leo urges war leaders to halt fighting after deadly strike on school sparks outrage (FOX)
Israeli forces kill West Bank Palestinian couple, 2 children; police say car sped at troops (TIMES OF ISRAEL)
Russia agrees to stop using Kenyan recruits in Ukraine conflict, Kenya says (BBC)
Far-right strength put to test in local elections in France (DW)
📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH
Federal judge blocks RFK Jr.’s changes to childhood vaccine schedule (NBC)
Study: Women-dominated jobs face biggest AI threat (MO NEWS)
3,800 workers strike at one of the largest meatpacking plants in the US (AP)
FDA investigating illnesses linked to raw cheddar cheese from California farm (NBC)
Airline CEOs urge Congress to pay TSA workers during partial government shutdown (FOX)
🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Mexico City sets world record with 9,500-person soccer lesson (MO NEWS)
Sean Penn pictured in Ukraine after Oscars no show (USA TODAY)
Kennedy Center votes to shut down operations for 2 years and names a new president (POLITICO)
US beats Canada in Para ice hockey final to complete historic clean sweep in Olympics, Paralympics (AP)
ICYMI FROM THE 📲
In case you missed it… Actor Michael B. Jordan posed with staff at an In-N-Out Burger after his Oscar win on Sunday in Los Angeles.
Jordan won Best Actor in a Leading Role for his dual roles as twin brothers Smoke and Stack in the horror-thriller film Sinners.