Donald Trump has now threatened, targeted, or attacked at least 15 countries across his two presidential terms, with Oman becoming the latest addition after his warning over the Strait of Hormuz.
According to CNN, speaking during a White House Cabinet meeting, Trump warned Oman against attempting to control the key oil shipping route alongside Iran. “Oman will behave just like everybody else, or we'll have to blow ‘em up,” Trump said.
The remark, delivered almost casually during broader discussions, added to a growing list of countries that have faced either direct military action, explicit threats, or suggestions of possible US strikes under Trump's leadership.
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Trump had campaigned as a critic of endless wars, often portraying rivals as interventionists who could drag the United States into global conflicts, including a potential World War III scenario. However, his presidency has increasingly been marked by aggressive military rhetoric and overseas operations.
CNN reported that according to compiled public records and statements, Oman is at least the 15th country Trump has either threatened to attack, openly discussed targeting, or authorised military action against. Most of those instances have emerged during the opening 16 months of his second term.
Military strikes have reportedly been carried out this term in Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. Some of those countries were also targeted during Trump's first term in office.
Separately, Trump has either directly threatened or refused to rule out action against Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Greenland, Mexico, Panama and now Oman. Mexico and North Korea were also subjects of similar rhetoric during his first presidency.
The scale and nature of these actions vary significantly. Some operations, including those in Iraq, were described as counterterrorism missions rather than attacks aimed at governments. In several other cases, Trump stopped short of explicitly ordering military action but left the possibility open publicly.
Analysts have linked parts of Trump's approach to the so-called “madman theory” of foreign policy, a strategy built around projecting unpredictability to pressure adversaries into concessions.
Still, the breadth of the rhetoric has drawn attention globally. The countries Trump has threatened or targeted account for roughly one in every 13 nations worldwide and represent a substantial share of the global population.
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The Middle East has remained a particular focus, with five countries in the region now either threatened or subjected to US military action during Trump's presidency.
Trump's comments and actions have also extended across Africa, Asia, North America and South America. Denmark was indirectly drawn into the debate through Trump's remarks about Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory.
Among the countries Trump has referenced, five, Canada, Cuba, Greenland, Panama and Venezuela, have also been discussed by him in territorial or strategic terms tied to possible US expansion or control.
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