US lawmakers are moving to block the White House from launching military strikes against Oman, following sharp public threats made by President Donald Trump. During a televised interview, Trump warned that the US would bomb the Gulf nation if it interfered with Washington’s naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. The remarks triggered immediate bipartisan pushback on Capitol Hill, with senior members of Congress preparing a binding War Powers Resolution to reassert legislative control over military action.
The dispute stems from Muscat’s efforts to broker a bilateral maritime arrangement with Tehran to ease commercial shipping gridlock through the narrow 21-mile strait. After a 60-day negotiating window under an earlier June memorandum expired without a comprehensive US-Iran agreement, Omani and Iranian officials discussed creating a secure transit corridor for commercial freighters and oil tankers. The Trump administration strongly opposed the initiative, viewing independent regional shipping arrangements as an attempt to undermine the US Navy's maritime blockade.
Trump’s warning marked an unprecedented escalation against an Arab state that has maintained a free trade agreement and close defense ties with Washington for decades. Oman has long served as a vital diplomatic bridge in the region, hosting backchannel negotiations to de-escalate regional crises and secure prisoner releases. Foreign policy experts warned that threatening a key Gulf partner risks alienating regional allies and destabilizing security in the Arabian Peninsula.
In response, lawmakers argued that the executive branch has no constitutional authority to launch military action against a sovereign ally without congressional approval. Leading the effort in the Senate, Tim Kaine announced plans to introduce a targeted War Powers Resolution prohibiting military operations against Oman once Congress reconvenes in September, calling the administration's rhetoric counterproductive and damaging to American national security. In the House of Representatives, lawmakers including Ro Khanna voiced strong support, emphasizing the need to check unilateral executive military actions.
The legislative push comes amid the broader, months-long military confrontation between the US and Iran, which has disrupted Persian Gulf shipping lanes, driven up energy prices, and exacerbated global inflationary pressures. While the administration has maintained a hardline stance—with Trump recently declaring the Strait of Hormuz American territory—critics argue that coercing regional partners like Oman oversteps constitutional boundaries.
The upcoming War Powers Resolution will serve as a crucial test of congressional oversight, aiming to bar federal funds for unauthorized strikes against Oman and rein in executive war powers amid growing Middle Eastern volatility.
