OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
12:17 PM – Wednesday, March 25, 2026
During the swearing-in ceremony for incoming Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Iran had provided a “present” worth a “tremendous amount of money” — addressing the global energy crisis caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
However, when reporters questioned whether this indicated that he now trusts Iranian leadership, President Trump dismissed the notion, stating that he doesn’t trust anyone.
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When asked why he would negotiate with an adversary he doesn’t trust, Trump then argued that the significance of the “gift” proved he was finally “dealing with the right people” to reach a deal.
“They’re gonna make a deal,” he answered. “They did something yesterday that was amazing, actually. They gave us a present and the present arrived today. It was a very big present, worth a tremendous amount of money.”
He added that by sending the “significant prize” to the U.S., Iran was fulfilling a previous commitment.
“That meant one thing to me: We’re dealing with the right people,” Trump emphasized.
Although Trump did not reveal what the present was, he did clarify that it was related to oil and gas, as opposed to nuclear weaponry.
“It was a very nice thing they did.”
The Strait of Hormuz serves as a critical global artery, funneling approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil supply from the Gulf into the Indian Ocean. While this region accounts for only 2.5% to 7%, at the most, of total U.S. oil imports, its closure has a disproportionate impact on global market prices.
Due to this disparity, President Trump has argued that U.S. allies — who are far more dependent on these exports — must take a lead role in policing and protecting the waterway.
When asked if the United States intended to maintain control of the Strait after the current conflict concludes, Trump was characteristically blunt, asserting, “We’ll have control of anything we want.”
“I think we’re going to end the war.”
Meanwhile, Trump said last week that the U.S. was “getting very close” to fulfilling its objectives in the Middle East, with the administration considering “winding down” its military efforts against the “Terrorist Regime of Iran.”
The Trump administration’s Iran goals:
- Completely degrading Iranian missile capability.
- Destroying Iran’s Defense Industrial Base.
- Eliminating Iran’s navy and air force.
- Preventing Iran from nearing nuclear capability.
- Protecting the U.S.’s Middle Eastern allies.
For months, U.S. officials have engaged in diplomatic efforts to secure a new nuclear deal with Iran, but these negotiations have consistently reached an impasse. The United States maintains a firm policy that the Iranian regime is too volatile to be permitted to develop a nuclear weapon.
While Tehran continues to claim its uranium enrichment programs are strictly for medical and industrial purposes, international monitors have found that they are enriching material to weapons-grade levels — far exceeding the purity required for any civilian application.
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