The Steady Drip: Gen. Kellogg to Newsmax: US Must Act Decisively to Secure Strait of Hormuz (Connecting the Dots: Retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Iran & The Carnegie/Soros Network)

Gen. Kellogg to Newsmax: US Must Act Decisively to Secure Strait of Hormuz (Connecting the Dots: Retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Iran & The Carnegie/Soros Network)

By Newsmax Wires | Wednesday, 18 March 2026 09:19 PM EDT

https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/keith-kellogg-iran-strait-of-hormuz/2026/03/18/id/1250008/

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg told Newsmax on Wednesday that the Strait of Hormuz is already "passable," but warned the Trump administration must act decisively to secure global shipping lanes amid heightened tensions with Iran.

"It's passable now. They just have to have the courage to do it," Kellogg told "Rob Schmitt Tonight." "We have the capability to do it.

"We just have to have the confidence to be able to pull it off."

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula, is one of the world's most crucial chokepoints, with a significant share of global oil shipments passing through it. Recent U.S. strikes targeting Iranian anti-ship missile systems have raised questions about whether commercial traffic can safely resume.

Kellogg said those strikes appear to be "softening up the targets," particularly around Bandar Abbas and other strategic sites such as Kharg Island.

"If you take Kharg Island and you can secure the Strait of Hormuz, then you're in great shape," he said.

He noted the geographic constraints of the strait make security operations crucial and manageable.

"It's basically 25 miles wide, but the shipping lanes are only 2 miles wide each way," Kellogg said. "You make sure they're not mined. You make sure there's no shore-to-ship missiles out there."

To reopen the route, Kellogg outlined a show-of-force strategy modeled on past U.S. operations.

"The first time you do, it would be a maximum effort. You put aircraft above the shipping lane. You have escort ships," he said. "Get a couple ships through there and you're good to go."

He pointed to Operation Earnest Will in the 1980s, when U.S. forces escorted tankers during the Iran-Iraq War, as a precedent. He also compared the approach to "thunder runs" into Baghdad, where U.S. troops pushed through hostile territory despite known risks.

"War is a two-way street. The other side gets to dance too," Kellogg said, acknowledging the prospects of Iranian retaliation. "The first couple of times you're going to get some type of hostile action ... and just accept that."

Still, he argued the risk is necessary to restore stability.

"We have the capacity and the capability to punch through there," Kellogg said. "And we need to do it. We need to show them that."

Connecting the Dots:

Keith Kellogg was the foreign policy adviser for the 2016 Donald Trump presidential campaign, the CEO for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq and a retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen.

L. Paul Bremer III was an administrator for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, a managing director at Kissinger Associates, Inc. and Henry A. Kissinger’s special assistant.

Henry A. Kissinger’s special assistant was L. Paul Bremer III, the founder of Kissinger Associates, Inc. and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Walter B. Slocombe was a senior adviser for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Ted Lieu was honored with the Carnegie Corporation of New York's Great Immigrants Award, has represented California's 36th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2023 and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Astrid S. Tuminez was a program officer at the Carnegie Corporation of New York and is the 7th President of the Utah Valley University (Charlie Kirk Shooting).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Daniel W. Christman was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a lieutenant general in the U.S. Army.

Wesley K. Clark is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a general in the U.S. Army.

George A. Joulwan is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a general in the U.S. Army.

Barry R. McCaffrey was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a general in the U.S. Army.

Robert W. RisCassi was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a general in the U.S. Army.

Carl E. Vuono is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a general in the U.S. Army.

U.S. Department of Defense oversees the U.S. Army.

Richard L. Armitage was an assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Harold Brown is an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Frank C. Carlucci is an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Eric S. Edelman is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was an undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Evelyn N. Farkas is a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Sherri W. Goodman is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a deputy undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Stephen J. Hadley is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was an undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

James L. Jones Jr. is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a commander, U.S. European Command for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Zalmay Khalilzad is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was an assistant deputy undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Franklin D. Kramer is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was an assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Jan M. Lodal is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a principal deputy undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

William J. Lynn is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a deputy secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

James N. Miller is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was an undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Judith A. Miller is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a general counsel for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Joseph S. Nye Jr. is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was an assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Philip A. Odeen is a lifetime director for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Sean O'Keefe is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a comptroller & CFO for the U.S. Department of Defense.

William J. Perry is an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Walter B. Slocombe is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was an undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

William H. Taft IV is a lifetime director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a general counsel for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Togo D. West Jr. is a lifetime director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a general counsel for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Dov S. Zakheim is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was an undersecretary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Henry E. Catto was a chair emeritus for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and an assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Edwin Dorn was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and an undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Defense.

Chas. W. Freeman Jr. was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and an assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Jacques S. Gansler was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and an undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Defense.

Chuck Hagel was a chairman for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Paul G. Kaminski was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and an undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Defense.

Arnold Kanter was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and an undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Defense.

Robert S. McNamara was an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

James R. Schlesinger was an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense.

U.S. Department of Defense oversees the U.S. Army.

Chuck Hagel was the secretary at the U.S. Department of Defense, the chairman for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a sergeant in the U.S. Army.

Center for a New American Security was a contributor for the U.S. Army.

Madeleine K. Albright was a director at the Center for a New American Security and an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Astrid S. Tuminez was a program officer at the Carnegie Corporation of New York and is the 7th President of the Utah Valley University (Charlie Kirk Shooting).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the founder of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), the Center for American Progress, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Center for American Progress and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, a supporter for the Center for American Progress and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Center for American Progress and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Morton H. Halperin was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, served with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), is a senior adviser for the Open Society Foundations, Newsmax’s Mark Halperin’s father and a director at the ONE Campaign.

Mark Halperin’s father is Morton H. Halperin, is currently a host and commentator for Newsmax TV, In 2010, Halperin joined MSNBC, becoming the senior political analyst and a contributor and the founding editor for Bloomberg Politics.

Bloomberg Politics is a division of Bloomberg LP.

Harold E. Ford Jr. is a political commentator at MSNBC and was an overseer at the International Rescue Committee.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.

Michelle Obama was an advocate for the ONE Campaign.

Michael R. Bloomberg was an advocate for the ONE Campaign and is the founder of Bloomberg LP.

Bloomberg Politics is a division of Bloomberg LP.

Howard G. Buffett is a director at the ONE Campaign and Warren E. Buffett’s son.

Susan A. Buffett is a director at the ONE Campaign and Warren E. Buffett’s daughter.

Warren E. Buffett is Howard G. Buffett & Susan A. Buffett’s father and an adviser at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Astrid S. Tuminez was a program officer at the Carnegie Corporation of New York and is the 7th President of the Utah Valley University (Charlie Kirk Shooting).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the founder of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Stephen Hess is a senior fellow emeritus at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and is an advisory board member for the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy.

E.J. Dionne is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and an advisory board member for the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy.

Hushang Ansary is an advisory board member for the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy and was the minister of economic affairs for Iran.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was the president of Iran and is mocked in Iran So Far.

Iran So Far is a short video on Saturday Night Live.

Andy Samberg is the creator & actor for Iran So Far and was a cast member on Saturday Night Live.

Terrence Turner is a writer for Saturday Night Live and was a contributor for the American Bridge 21st Century.

George Soros was a contributor for the American Bridge 21st Century, is a board member for the International Crisis Group and the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Leslie H. Gelb was a board member for the International Crisis Group and is an advisory board member for United Against Nuclear Iran.

Walter B. Slocombe is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was a senior adviser for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq.

Keith Kellogg was the CEO for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, the foreign policy adviser for the 2016 Donald Trump presidential campaign, and a retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen.