conflictThursday, May 21, 2026event May 228 sources

Trump Vows U.S. Will Retrieve Iran's Enriched Uranium from Strait of Hormuz

President Donald Trump declared the United States has 'total control' of the Strait of Hormuz through a naval blockade, vowing to secure Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile. He warned Iran against pursuing nuclear weapons, asserting the U.S. will prevent them from acquiring the material. The U.S. also affirmed its desire for the strait to remain open for international navigation despite the blockade.

Trump, speaking on May 22, 2026, stated the U.S. has 'total control' of the Strait of Hormuz via a naval blockade, a claim supported by multiple outlets including The Times of India and Bloomberg. He vowed to secure Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile, a statement echoed by The Straits Times, The Jerusalem Post, and Al Arabiya. The U.S. also reiterated its commitment to keeping the strait open for international shipping, despite the blockade, according to The Times of India. The Times of India reported that Trump warned Tehran against pursuing nuclear weapons, stating the U.S. would prevent Iran from acquiring the material. The Hindu noted that Trump had previously suggested he might be OK with some 970 pounds of highly enriched uranium believed to be buried beneath Iranian nuclear facilities targeted by U.S. strikes. These statements reflect a shift in Trump's stance toward Iran's nuclear program, emphasizing both containment and retrieval of nuclear materials. While all sources concur on Trump's declaration of U.S. control over the Strait of Hormuz and his vow to secure Iran's uranium, there is no divergence in the key facts presented. The focus remains on Trump's strategic positioning and the potential implications for regional stability and nuclear proliferation.

Timelines

Sources

IndependentTimes of IndiaMay 22, 04:52 AM
Trump claims 'total control' over Hormuz, vows to recover Iran’s enriched uranium

President Trump declared the US has "total control" of the Strait of Hormuz via a naval blockade, vowing to secure Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile. He warned Tehran against pursuing nuclear weapons, stating the US will prevent them from acquiring the material. Despite the blockade, Trump affirmed the US desires the strait to remain open for international navigation.

IndependentThe HinduMay 22, 12:53 AM
Trump returns to more definitive tone on controlling Iran's uranium

Last week, Donald Trump suggested that he might be OK with some 970 pounds of highly enriched uranium believed to be buried beneath Iranian nuclear facilities that were targeted by U.S. military strikes

IndependentMiddle East EyeMay 21, 09:27 PM
Trump vows US will take Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile - Middle East Eye

Trump vows US will take Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile  Middle East Eye

IndependentBloombergMay 21, 09:05 PM
Watch Trump Says US Will Get Iran's Uranium - Bloomberg.com

Watch Trump Says US Will Get Iran's Uranium  Bloomberg.com

IndependentAl ArabiyaMay 21, 08:49 PM
Trump vows US will retrieve highly enriched uranium from Iran - Al Arabiya English

Trump vows US will retrieve highly enriched uranium from Iran  Al Arabiya English

IndependentJerusalem PostMay 21, 08:44 PM
Trump vows US will retrieve enriched uranium from Iran - The Jerusalem Post

Trump vows US will retrieve enriched uranium from Iran  The Jerusalem Post

IndependentStraits TimesMay 21, 08:34 PM
Trump vows US will retrieve uranium from Iran - The Straits Times

Trump vows US will retrieve uranium from Iran  The Straits Times

IndependentStraits TimesMay 21, 08:34 PM
Trump vows U.S. will retrieve uranium from Iran - The Straits Times

Trump vows U.S. will retrieve uranium from Iran  The Straits Times