Trump: It’s an ‘honor’ to secure Strait of Hormuz for China

President Donald Trump said he wants to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and said he would be "honored" to do so in an effort to help other nations that depend on the vital Middle East waterway. Trump was speaking to reporters in Florida on Monday when he was asked about the global energy chokepoint, which has been disrupted amid back-and-forth attacks between Iran, Israel and the United States. Iran seizes oil tankers, threatens 'massacre' in Strait of Hormuz hours before US speaks Approximately 34 kilometers wide at its narrowest point, the Strait of Hormuz lies between Iran and Oman and carries approximately 20 million barrels per day and around a fifth of the world's liquefied natural gas, making it a high-value target when conflict breaks out in the region. "We're really helping China here and other countries because they get a lot of their energy from the Strait," Trump said. "We have a good relationship with China. It is my honor to do so." US PLACES AIRCRAFT CARRIERS, ATTACK PLATFORMS IN MIDDLE EAST AS IRAN TALKS GO TO OMAN Trump is scheduled to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping later this month. In touting the United States' new energy partnership with Venezuela, Trump noted that China gets its oil through the strait. "I mean, we're doing this for other parts of the world, including countries like China," he said. "They get a lot of their oil through the strait." "We have a very good relationship with President XI (Jinping) and China," he added. "I will go there in a short period of time and we will protect the world from what these crazy people are trying to do, and very successfully, I might add." The United States will also waive all oil-related sanctions on some countries in an effort to reduce energy prices amid conflict in the Middle East, Trump said. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps went on Iranian state television and promised that it would "not allow [the] export of a single liter of oil." Trump later reaffirmed his position on the Strait in a fiery Truth Social post. "If Iran does anything to stop the flow of oil within the Strait of Hormuz, the United States of America will hit them TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit so far. Additionally, we will eliminate easily destructible targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to rebuild itself as a nation again. Death, fire and fury will reign upon them. But I hope and pray that does not happen!" he wrote. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP "This is a gift from the United States of America to China and all those nations that heavily use the Strait of Hormuz. Hopefully, it will be a gesture that will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"