Trump Threatens to Bomb Oman, a U.S. Partner, and Tells Iran to 'Put Up the White Flag of Surrender'

In a Fox News interview published Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, President Trump said that if Oman 'gets in the way' of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, 'we'll bomb the s--- out of them.' In the same interview he said Iran should 'put up the white flag of surrender' in the five-month war, described the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as 'good poker players' who are 'dying,' and confirmed his administration had opened a direct back channel to the IRGC. He said he was in no hurry: 'I have no time schedule.' The remarks came as the 60-day U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding expired without an agreement.

Oman is a U.S. security partner and a longtime mediator between Washington and Tehran. Threatening to strike it over a negotiation it is hosting inverts that role, and does so while Iranian and Omani officials say they are drafting a joint declaration on shipping through the strait.

Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, said the memorandum had already been voided by U.S. violations and that no talks ever began. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has not decided whether to restart negotiations. Neither side has signaled it will extend the memorandum.