@JonChevreau The part about the strait clearing by itself sounds like someone, possibly Tulsi, told him that the Iranians were eventually going to have to open it to sell their oil, therefore no action was really needed.

The part about how all hell will "reign" down on them if they didn't open it sounds like Hegseth. I'll bet he thought "reign" was clever after murdering the Supreme Leader.

What I surmise from this is that, as in his first term, he believes whatever he heard last from anyone he trusts. That sounds like dementia to me, but he's a con artist, and if he thought acting demented would be of an advantage to him in any way, I believe he would.