Top GOP defense voice breaks with invasion fears, says US can reopen Hormuz without ground war
Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, said he doesn't think mobilizing ground troops in Iran will be "necessary" to open up the Strait of Hormuz, a critical trade waterway that has been blocked by the Iranian military for more than a month.
Turner, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, appeared on ABC’s "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" on Sunday, just hours after President Donald Trump threatened Iran to "open the F-----' Strait" or else "you'll be living in Hell."
Stephanopoulos asked Turner if he thinks the Strait of Hormuz could be opened without military intervention.
At first, Turner didn't directly answer the question. Instead, he spoke broadly about the conflict, saying that Iran's efforts to become a nuclear state are being "eliminated" thanks to President Donald Trump's military interventions. He also blamed the Obama administration for failing to "undertake the conflict."
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"If you just step back and watch, as the Obama administration was going to do while Iran became a nuclear power and they became North Korea, we wouldn't be looking at the Strait of Hormuz," Turner said.
Stephanopoulos then asked Turner again if he thought mobilizing ground troops to open up the important waterway would be necessary.
"Well, I think, you’re certainly seeing that even as this conflict evolves, that that is being put in place, and I don‘t think U.S. ground troops are going to be necessary in any direct conflict," Turner said.
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"In this instance, we‘re seeing that the conflict is continuing with the president beginning to, in conjunction with Israel, significantly diminish Iran‘s military capabilities, both their navy, their missile capabilities, overall are continuing, and certainly, their nuclear capabilities are being continually diminished. And that was the goal, and that is an incredibly important goal for the safety of the United States," Turner continued.
In a follow-up post on Truth Social, Trump gave Iran a deadline of "Tuesday, 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time" to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump also urged European countries to assist with reopening the waterway in a Wednesday address to the nation.
"The United States imports almost no oil through the Hormuz Strait and won't be taking any in the future. We don't need it. We haven't needed it and we don't need it," Trump said.
"We will be helpful, but they should take the lead in protecting the oil that they so desperately depend on," he continued.
Even though the United States imports very little oil through the Persian Gulf, a disruption to the supply chain will send shocks throughout the global supply. Since the start of the war, the average price for gas in the United States has jumped to more than $4 a gallon.
Fox News Digital reached out to Turner for further comment.