Pete Hegseth on Strait of Hormuz: 'Don't need to worry about it'

7 hours ago 2

Published Fri, Mar 13 20268:13 AM EDTUpdated 2 Min Ago

Key Points

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed concerns that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz because of the Iran war would continue being a problem.
"We have been dealing with it, and don't need to worry about it," Hegseth told reporters at a briefing at the Defense Department.
Oil prices have been sharply higher since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth holds a briefing amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 2, 2026.

Elizabeth Frantz | Reuters

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday brushed aside concerns that the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz because of the Iran war, which has spiked oil prices, would continue being a problem for the U.S. and the world for much longer.

"We have been dealing with it, and don't need to worry about it," Hegseth said at a Pentagon press briefing.

Hegseth criticized media reports that have said the United States military did not have a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz before the war began, saying there were plans.