Trump declares Strait of Hormuz 'open' before SNAPPING at female reporter

By EMMA RICHTER, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 15:34, 12 July 2026 | Updated: 15:56, 12 July 2026 President Donald Trump has declared that the Strait of Hormuz is 'open' as he snapped at a female NBC News reporter.  Trump phoned into Meet the Press on Sunday morning, where anchor Kristen Welker asked him about the status of the vital waterway that has played a major role in the ongoing war between the US and Iran.  Welker said to Trump: 'You obviously launched a fresh round of strikes overnight. Iran said overnight the Strait of Hormuz is closed. CENTCOM came out this morning and said the Strait of Hormuz is open. Which is it Mr. President and how are you going to respond?'  The commander-in-chief cut Welker off and snapped: 'It's open and I don't want to talk about it because I want to honor the life of Lindsey Graham. So I don't want to talk about it, I told you that before call.'  Graham, a South Carolina senator, unexpectedly died on Saturday night at the age of 71.  A 911 call for a 'cardiac arrest' was placed from the Republicans' residence around 8.30pm, but no official cause of death has been confirmed, according to multiple reports.  The president ordered that American flags be lowered at half-staff at the White House on Sunday morning to honor the late senator and Trump ally.  Trump also joined CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday morning, where he shared a similar reaction when asked about the war.  The president made it clear that he only wanted to speak about the late South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham on Sunday morning He was repeatedly asked by reporters about the status of the vital waterway that has played a major role in the ongoing war between the US and Iran 'Iran has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed,' Tapper said. 'Is that true Mr. President?'  'It's open as far as I'm concernced. Don't talk about it, talk about the reason you asked me to speak,' Trump quipped at the journalist.  Tapper then asked him: Ok, we appreciate your time sir. Before I let you go, is there any final word that you want the American people to know about Lindsey Graham?'  'No, I think his final moment was his defense of Brett Kavanaugh, who's a terrific guy, and was treated very very unfairly by the Democrats. Very - I've never seen anything like it,' Trump replied, speaking of the US Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.  'He was treated so unfairly, and Lindsey, as you remember, had that moment. I think it was the top 10, maybe top five moment in the history of the senate. It was an incredible display, and he did it from the heart,' he added.  Trump's comment refers to when Graham fiercley defended Kavanaugh against sexual assault allegations during the 2018 Supreme Court confirmation hearings.  The senator blasted the hearing as the 'most unethical sham' he ever witnessed in politics, and said that Kavenaugh had 'nothing to aplogize for' before urging Republicans to support the judge.   When Meet the Press anchor Kristen Welker asked Trump about the Strait of Hormuz, Trump quickly cut her off and said he only wanted to speak about Graham He also gave similar treatment to CNN's Jake Tapper when the journalist asked a similar question about the war on Sunday morning Breaking news.. updates to follow.