Ever since the start of the Iran war, the Democrats and their media allies have been rooting against America and President Trump. This was particularly true regarding the Strait of Hormuz, a major global economic shipping channel through which much of the world's oil (and other commerce) flows. Late last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio laid out what the Strait, and its control, means for not just the United States, but the world, saying that allowing Iran — especially a nuclear Iran — to control the Strait would allow the Islamic nation to control energy for countless nations.
But because the media can never give President Trump credit for or support on any issue, they've spent months attacking the war. Let's take a look at some of the reporting from earlier this year to see exactly what was being said. On June 28, the Wall Street Journal ran an op-ed titled "Iran is Winning the Battle of Hormuz"; on June 3, CNN published "'Their new nuclear option': Why Iran's influence over the Strait of Hormuz is here to stay"; on June 30, The Washington Post published "Iran's leverage over Strait of Hormuz snarls Trump's push for a deal"; on May 19 the Associated Press ran a story titled "Trump's tough-talk foreign policy is hitting a wall with Iran as it grips Strait of Hormuz"; on March 18, Bloomberg published "Iran Moves Its Own Oil Through Hormuz as It Chokes Other Traffic"; Reuters published “As Trump claims victory, Iran emerges bruised but powerful with leverage over Hormuz” on April 8; and on April 6, The New York Times published a piece called "The War Is Turning Iran Into a Major World Power."
On September 28, however, it became clear that oil exports from the Persian Gulf had returned to near pre-war levels while Iranian exports have, quite literally, hit zero.
This is insane.
— Oguz Erkan (@oguzerkan) September 28, 2026
Oil exports from the Persian Gulf are almost back to pre-war levels.
Meanwhile, Iranian exports have literally hit zero.
Blockading Iran’s blockade actually worked.
Iran can’t stand this for much longer. pic.twitter.com/fhhGlAX280
And the U.S. blockade kneecapped any leverage Iran thought it had.
This is how oil flows out of the Persian Gulf.
— Oguz Erkan (@oguzerkan) September 28, 2026
The US Navy secured a new route along the Omani Coast, while the traditional "Strait of Hormuz" lanes near Iran remain under blockade.
Looks like Iran has lost all the leverage it had. pic.twitter.com/Qd6ncSDstP
Goldman Sachs Research released a paper on September 29 that reported Persian Gulf exports returned to 2025 levels, and that crude exports accounted for nearly 90 percent of the September recovery.
Meanwhile, Iran's economy — thanks to Operation Economic Outcast — is on the brink of collapse. The same day we learned about the resurgence of oil exports from the Persian Gulf, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Iran's economy had about two weeks left before it completely imploded.
The news is so devastating for Iran and so good for President Trump and the United States that the media are doing a quiet about-face on the issue, grudgingly admitting that President Trump was right and Iran is losing this war. Bloomberg reported on the surge in oil exports through the Strait, and on September 28, The Wall Street Journal also reported on the rebound in Middle East oil exports and that Iran's chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz had broken down. Two weeks ago, an op-ed in The Washington Post admitted Iran's leverage in the Strait of Hormuz was "dwindling." On September 29, The Washington Post admitted that Iran's currency hit a new record low "as war erodes [the] country's economic stability."
Every single outlet mentioned above has since posted stories or op-eds highlighting the surge in exports through the Strait of Hormuz or about Iran's crippled and collapsing economy. On September 30, The Wall Street Journal reported again that crude exports were back at pre-war levels; CNN admitted two days ago in an analysis piece that Iran has "lost considerable leverage in the Strait of Hormuz"; the Associated Press reported on Iran's failed currency and collapsing economic stability on September 29; Bloomberg ran two pieces on oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz — one on September 19 and another on September 24. Reuters also wrote about the 33.7 million barrels exported on September 24; and on August 30, The New York Times admitted the blockade was squeezing Iran's oil supply.
What an incredible, albeit tacit, admission by our media. Headlines in the spring and over the summer told Americans Iran was winning the war and controlled the Strait of Hormuz. Now that we're seeing that President Trump and his administration were right about Iran, the headlines tell a very different story: Oil is flowing, Iran's leverage is shrinking, and its economy is under extraordinary pressure. Yet the media still refuse to give President Trump credit, even if their about-face reporting is doing it for them.
Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump and his administration’s bold leadership, we are once again respected on the world stage, and our enemies are being put on notice.
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