Donald Trump is punishing Iran for blockading the Strait of Hormuz by blockading the Strait of Hormuz, if you were wondering how stupid the timeline could get
In a move that could be described as one-dimensional chess, the US has countered the Iranian blockade of the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz by *checks notes* threatening to blockade the Strait of Hormuz.
If you thought it was an SNL skit that had fooled the public, sadly not – but we get where you’re coming from. Here’s the proof.
"Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz." – President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/JInBTLyu2s
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 12, 2026
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 12, 2026
We don’t expect you to read Trump’s entire preamble, so here’s the tl;dr version – ‘I can’t get my own way, so I’m going to do something really stupid.’
Trump has repeatedly insisted that this spectacular foot-shooting exercise would have UK involvement.
🚨 NEW: Donald Trump says the UK will send minesweepers as part of the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz pic.twitter.com/R9SNHHO3Ik
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) April 12, 2026
Oh!
BREAKING: The UK will not be involved in a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Sky News understands.
Earlier today, Donald Trump said the U.S. Navy would be blocking the critical shipping route.
Sky's political correspondent @LucyJMcDaid has the latesthttps://t.co/aJEtGwKcEW pic.twitter.com/Kf9aqrIL90
— Sky News (@SkyNews) April 12, 2026
Donald Trump lying about the war and whose support he has? Surely not! He confirmed to reporters that it was his idea.
Trump: At 10 tomorrow, we have a blockade going into effect. Iran will not be able to sell oil. What we notice and see and what I think is my maybe my idea—there are many boats coming to our country to fill up with oil. They’re not going to go through the strait. pic.twitter.com/7A5oq0wbJR
— Acyn (@Acyn) April 13, 2026
Yeah, genius. We’d guessed.
Anyway, here’s the internet’s collective facepalm.
1.
“Open the Strait of Hormuz or I’m closing the Strait of Hormuz” pic.twitter.com/rkEA8GtqSK
— Rob B (@RobBfromDerby) April 12, 2026
2.
Sorry, WHAT!? So, having demanded the Strait be opened on pain of all Iranian civilisation being ended, President Trump is now going to shut it himself? https://t.co/Z42jdVzAt5
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) April 12, 2026
3.
Don Tzu: Break an enemy blockade by blockading their blockade. pic.twitter.com/ixiaKQ7okH
— Alex Christoforou (@AXChristoforou) April 12, 2026
4.
So basically we're fucking over our allies in Europe and Asia.
— TheRealThelmaJohnson (@TheRealThelmaJ1) April 12, 2026
5.
So, you're blockading the blockade then?
You really have no idea what you're doing, do you? And THAT, ladies and gentlemen, is why you always need to have a backup plan, unlike trump's insistence that he didn't need one.
You just end up lurching from one ridiculous reaction to…
— BrooklynDad_Defiant!☮️ (@mmpadellan) April 12, 2026
6.
Blockading a strait he wants opened.
🙄
— Art Candee 🍿🥤 (@ArtCandee) April 12, 2026
7.
What in the?? pic.twitter.com/6vV3W1nWjw
— degenRgr (@rgr_park) April 12, 2026
8.
— Moh (@MohWorldent) April 12, 2026
9.
We can all sleep easier now that United States and Iran are collaborating on blocking the Straight of Hormuz. 🚧 https://t.co/C4nbnpCh3y
— Bret Weinstein (@BretWeinstein) April 12, 2026
10.
“If you don’t open that thing we want open then we’ll make sure that thing we want open stays shut”
– Donald Trump, Art of the Deal
— David (@Zero_4) April 12, 2026
11.
Trump's plan for defeating a person strangling him: placing his hands round his own throat and squeezing. https://t.co/GeMqjER9Yn
— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) April 12, 2026
12.
My Gran would've called this "cutting off your nose to spite your face".
— The Jase 🐶 🎸 🎥 (@jasemonkey) April 12, 2026
13.
So Trump is 1) enforcing a double blockade of Strait of Hormuz 2) encouraging other countries to buy US oil and gas. Now — correct me if I'm wrong here — but won't that cause oil & gas prices to spike in USA? https://t.co/H0csbDIGZC
— Jeet Heer (@HeerJeet) April 12, 2026
14.
Can someone explain to me the logic of the United States blocking the critical shipping lane so Iran doesn’t have to? https://t.co/bzyiM4CpC3
— Brianna Wu (@BriannaWu) April 12, 2026