Will Trump end Iran war without opening the Strait of Hormuz?

Here & Now Anytime

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4.1 • 953 Ratings

🗓️ 31 March 2026

⏱️ 18 minutes

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Summary

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said reopening the Strait of Hormuz is “not just a U.S. problem set.” NPR’s Tom Bowman weighs in on whether President Trump will wind down the war in Iran without reopening the narrow waterway through which a quarter of the world's oil travels.

Then, the National Mall has become a stage for the deep division between the Trump administration and its many critics. Recently, artwork ridiculing President Trump appeared in front of the Lincoln Memorial. NPR’s Frank Langfitt explains more.

And, NASA’s Artemis II will launch on Wednesday, sending four astronauts around the moon. Purdue University professor Briony Horgan explains the significance of this journey, which will send humans farther into space than they’ve ever gone before.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	WBUR Podcasts, Boston.
0:07.1	There are countries around the world who ought be prepared to step up on this critical waterway as well.
0:14.8	It's not just the United States Navy.
0:17.6	The Trump administration appears to be willing to end the war with Iran,
0:22.1	even if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
0:33.5	It's Tuesday, March 31st, and this is here and now anytime from NPR and WBUR Boston.
0:40.4	I'm Shiko Loodie.
0:43.4	Today on the show, the National Mall has become a stage for a propaganda war between the Trump
0:48.5	administration and its critics.
0:50.8	I think it's hilarious.
0:52.1	Pretty pointless.
0:53.7	I think it's offensive. Pretty pointless. I think it's offensive.
0:56.0	And NASA astronauts are heading back to the moon for the first time in more than 50 years.
1:02.2	But first, there are reports that President Trump wants to end the war with Iran without reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
1:09.1	That's the critical shipping route for nearly a quarter of the world's oil.
1:13.3	The Wall Street Journal first reported this, and this morning on social media,
1:16.8	Trump told allies to, quote, get your own oil, something Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed in a press conference today.
1:24.3	This Strait of Hormuz issue, which we've set the conditions for success, and we will make sure
1:29.2	Iran knows that very clearly, is not just the United States of America problem set.
1:34.8	NPR's Tom Bowman breaks down the latest with Robin Young.
1:38.0	What do we know about the Pentagon's thinking on this?
1:41.4	Well, what we know in Defense Secretary, I said it today, they're continuing
	...

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