Trump claims record oil flow through Strait of Hormuz, vows victory against Iran

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday (local time) that more oil had flowed through the Strait of Hormuz in recent days than at any point in the waterway's history — including before the war — and vowed the United States would soon prevail against Iran.

Speaking at a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration at the White House, Trump said the US had in effect taken full control of the Strait of Hormuz. "Over the last three days, more oil has come out of the Strait of Hormuz than at any time in the history of that strait," he said.

He expressed equal confidence about the war with Iran. "We are going to win, one way or another, very soon," he said.

The remarks came as Trump noted that US forces had completed a full withdrawal from Iraq that day.

He drew a sharp contrast between the Iraq War — in which 4,500 US troops were killed and 31,000 seriously wounded over 23 years — and two operations he oversaw: the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, completed in 148 minutes with zero American fatalities, and the ongoing Iran campaign.

"Likewise, in Iran, we have been there six months and 18 have died," Trump said. "One is too many, but they lost 4,500 and we lost 18."

The comparison was intended to highlight what Trump portrayed as the relatively low cost in American lives of the Iran war and the Venezuela operation, set against the heavy toll of wars waged by his predecessors.

"The fake news doesn't like to talk about this," Trump said. "There's one war that ended in 148 minutes, and another war that started six months ago — and their military is completely gone."

With midterm elections approaching and his approval rating among Hispanic voters declining, Trump lavished praise on the community. "Hispanic Americans have built incredible businesses, established great churches, pioneered new industries, strengthened communities, served our country in uniform, and helped expand the American Dream for every citizen," he said.

On the aggressive immigration enforcement widely seen as driving that decline, Trump said: "We have been very tough, and for the last 17 months there has not been a single illegal entry."

Trump also ran through what he described as the policy achievements of his second term — tariffs, attracting investment to the US, passage of a tax-cut bill and immigration enforcement — before urging supporters to vote. "We have to go out and vote. You have to go out and let people know how well we're doing," he said. "Our approval rating is through the roof. We have to win, and we have to go out."