The simplest solution for Trump would be to publicly announce to Putin, that the US will lift some sanctions on Russia, if Putin holds a referendum in Russia proposing peace with Ukraine and the West, unblocking YouTube, and lifting internet blocks of messengers. Both offers and threats could be made ("carrots and sticks"): for example, he could offer to give Russia some Ukrainian territory, or threaten that if Putin doesn't hold the referendum, the US will begin supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles. If this plan doesn't work, another one could be chosen: block the Strait of Hormuz again, ban Venezuela from exporting oil (and perhaps bomb some oil facilities there for effect), raise the price of oil to $200, and then publicly offer China and India cheap American oil if the dictators of these countries agree to hold referendums proposing an alliance with the West and democratization of their countries.

4 minutes ago, Linkey said:

If this plan doesn't work

You mean “when.”

4 minutes ago, Linkey said:

block the Strait of Hormuz again

It’s already blocked, and the other nearby straights are experiencing closures now, too. Your idea is overly simplistic and myopic.

8 hours ago, Linkey said:

he could offer to give Russia some Ukrainian territory

He can’t legitimately offer something that’s not his.(applies to an open strait of Hormuz, too)

Trump’s promises aren’t worth anything anyway. In any event, he’s not going to stand up to Russia.

$200 oil is good for Putin (or would be if Ukraine weren’t blowing up Russian tankers and refineries), so that’s not really a threat. Putin is giving Iran satellite intelligence, because that conflict is helping him.

If Trump wishes to achieve the 'victory of Western Democracy', he, and his Administration, should quit ...

How Trump Can Achieve the Victory of Western Democracies

He could start by stopping trying to limit democracy in his own country

What an oxymoronic subject title.

On 7/31/2026 at 10:06 AM, iNow said:

It’s already blocked, and the other nearby straights are experiencing closures now, too. Your idea is overly simplistic and myopic.

Then why the price of oil is currently only 86 USD, not 200 USD per barrel?

41 minutes ago, Linkey said:

Then why the price of oil is currently only 86 USD, not 200 USD per barrel?

Other sources, the market’s lack of belief in whatever Trump says from one day to the next, and release of US strategic oil stocks. The last of these is getting close to running out. If and when it does, then if the Strait remains blocked at that point, we can expect $100/bbl again. So far as I know, no one is talking about $200/bbl, though there was a bit of wild speculation of that order back in March.

3 hours ago, Linkey said:

Then why the price of oil is currently only 86 USD, not 200 USD per barrel?

China stopped / drastically slowed their daily purchases and began drawing down on their strategic reserves to steady prices and buffer the impact to their customers in other countries.

In parallel, the US ramped production to maximum levels as the IEA similarly released volumes in to the market from their strategic reserves.

There’s also been rerouting of pipeline activity from the Saudis and Emiratis but that’s less of a factor bc pipeline values are lower there and the losses in neighboring straits are counteracting the benefit (see also my first reply)

Edited August 1Aug 1 by iNow