Trump claims he holds 'every card' in standoff with Iran at Strait of Hormuz
Usaid Siddiqui
President Trump says he holds ‘every card’ as the US prepares to guide ships out of the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway Iran has effectively closed. Tehran warns it will forcibly stop any vessel not coordinating with its forces. Analysts note US military and economic advantages, but say Iran’s asymmetric capabilities and control of the vital oil chokepoint give it significant leverage.
On February 28, the White House posted on X an image of President Donald Trump holding Uno cards with the caption “I have every card,” projecting confidence in the confrontation with Iran. The move followed Trump’s Truth Social announcement that the US military would begin guiding stranded vessels around the Strait of Hormuz from March 2, despite a fragile ceasefire that has held for nearly a month.
Trump called the campaign “Project Freedom,” asserting the US would escort neutral-nation ships out of waters that Iran has blockaded for more than two months. Iran countered by stressing that security of the strait belongs to its armed forces and warning any transit must be coordinated with them. On March 3, the Fars news agency reported that an American warship was attacked by two Iranian drones, but US Central Command denied the claim.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) published a new map of the Strait of Hormuz with expanded boundaries to the east, demanding all vessels coordinate with the IRGC before moving. Spokesman Sardar Mohebbi stated that ships following the procedure would be safe, but “violators will be forcibly stopped.”
Analysis shows the US holds major advantages in economic sanctions, overwhelming military power — including aircraft carriers and long-range bombers — and a naval blockade of Iranian ports since mid-April. Yet Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz, which carries one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas, and has effectively closed it since February 28, driving energy prices higher. In the US, the average gasoline price reached $4.30 per gallon (3.8 liters) by late February, compared with under $3 before the war.
Iran also relies on a network of regional allies — such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen — to exert indirect pressure. The Houthis have threatened to disrupt the Bab al-Mandeb shipping lane. Militarily, despite US superiority, Iran employs cheap Shahed drones (costing $20,000–$50,000 each) and ballistic missiles capable of penetrating Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system.
Michael Clarke, visiting professor at King’s College London, assessed that Trump considers himself a skilled poker player but “US destructive power does not translate into strategic advantage.” He argued that Iran’s asymmetric tactics have neutralized traditional US military strength, and domestic pressure is mounting as even Trump’s own MAGA faction questions the prospect of victory.
