Mike Pompeo Says U.S. Should ‘Never Give the Iranians a Damn Thing’ in Negotiations Over the Strait of Hormuz

Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington should make no concessions to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that stronger pressure is preferable to easing restrictions in return for safe passage through the waterway.

“We should never give the Iranians a damn thing,” Pompeo said on Sunday, November 8, during a discussion with former Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Jewish Federations of North America’s General Assembly in Washington.

“Energy markets will find a way,” he added, dismissing concerns that disruption to energy supplies should force Washington to reach a deal.

The two former top diplomats disagreed over how to confront Tehran. Pompeo advocated maintaining the economic blockade and striking additional Iranian assets to reduce threats to shipping and regional allies. He acknowledged that further military action could bring retaliation and costs.

Blinken took a different view. He warned that military action could not remove Iran’s ability to threaten ships in the strait without a major escalation, and argued that diplomacy might require concessions, including sanctions relief.

The discussion also turned to civilian casualties in Gaza. Pompeo defended Israel’s conduct and described efforts to prevent attacks on hospitals during his and Blinken’s respective tenures.

“We struck a hospital in Gaza,” he said. “You don’t know how hard Secretary Blinken and I worked to make sure we didn’t strike hospitals anywhere.”

The brief excerpt did not identify the hospital or clarify what Pompeo meant by “we.” It does not, on its own, establish that U.S. forces carried out the strike.

“The bad guys don’t spend a second worrying about how many civilians they kill,” he added, contrasting those efforts with what he characterized as adversaries’ disregard for civilian lives.

Blinken defended Israel’s stated objective of fighting Hamas while criticizing its treatment of Palestinian civilians and acknowledging the suffering in Gaza.