US President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed that Iran had delivered what he described as a significant “present” to the United States, hinting that the move could be tied to the Strait of Hormuz—one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes.
The Strait of Hormuz carries a substantial share of global energy supplies, and any disruption there has far-reaching consequences. In recent months, instability around the route caused by the ongoing US-Israel-Iran tensions has raised concerns in Washington and beyond, contributing to fears of energy shortages and market volatility. The United States has struggled to keep the waterway open.
Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, described the reported “present” as a positive step but declined to provide specific details about the concession.
“They gave us a present and the present arrived today, and it was a very big present, worth a tremendous amount of money,” he said. “It wasn’t nuclear, it was oil-and gas-related, and it was a very nice thing they did.”
The president also reiterated his belief that the United States had effectively already won its conflict with Iran. In doing so, he suggested that Pete Hegseth had been disappointed by how quickly the campaign concluded.
“Pete didn’t want it to be settled,” Trump said, without elaborating further.
Despite the lack of clarity surrounding the so-called “gift,” Trump indicated that diplomatic engagement with Iran was ongoing. He said US officials were in contact with “the right people” in Tehran and claimed that Iranian leaders were eager to reach an agreement to end hostilities.
“We’re in negotiations right now,” he said, offering no further details, especially on whether U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were set to hold talks this week. He added that JD Vance and Marco Rubio were also part of the ongoing negotiations.
