White House Sends Mixed Signals on Strait of Hormuz Closure

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, sent conflicting messages on Wednesday about the Strait of Hormuz, pushing back on reports that Iran had closed the channel while also calling on it to be reopened.

Leavitt didn’t directly answer who currently controls the vital shipping route, raising new questions about the status of a ceasefire with Iran.

Leavitt rejected the report by Iranian state media that tanker traffic had been halted in response to Israeli strikes in Lebanon, calling it “false.”

“That is completely unacceptable,” she told reporters at a White House briefing, adding that “we have seen an uptick of traffic in the strait today.”

Reopening the strait was a key demand by President Donald Trump, who threatened to attack civilian infrastructure and destroy “a whole civilization” if Iran didn’t comply. But hours after the U.S. and Iran reached a deal for a two-week ceasefire, it’s unclear what is actually happening in the waterway. Shipping has not returned to normal levels and only a few vessels have crossed. Companies remain cautious and are waiting for clearer guarantees before resuming regular traffic. Ships have received warnings from Iran that their vessels will be targeted if they cross without permission.

Leavitt said Trump still expects the strait to reopen “immediately, quickly and safely” and without limitations. Asked whether Iranian tolls would count as a limitation, she said yes.

When pressed on who currently controls passage through the Strait of Hormuz, Leavitt did not give a clear answer.

Meanwhile, the truce remains shaky.

Iran’s parliamentary speaker said key parts of Tehran’s proposed framework have already been violated, citing strikes in Lebanon, a drone entering Iranian airspace and the lack of recognition of Iranian uranium-enrichment rights.

“In such situation, a bilateral ceasefire or negotiations is unreasonable,” he said.

“Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire,” Leavitt said when asked whether the violence there could undermine the agreement.

At the same time, she signaled that the ceasefire may not take hold immediately.

“This is a fragile truce,” she said. “It takes time sometimes for these ceasefires to be fully effectuated,” she said, pointing to disruptions in Iran’s command structure after weeks of strikes.

Leavitt also pushed back on public descriptions of Iran’s proposal. Some reporting suggested that Trump saw a 10-point Iranian plan as a workable basis for talks. Leavitt said the original 10-point version was rejected and that Iran later returned with a different, pared-down proposal.

“What Iran says publicly … is much different than what they communicate to the United States,” she said.

Leavitt said the U.S. negotiating team, led by Vice President JD Vance, will travel to Islamabad, with the first round of discussions set for Saturday morning local time.