TJ Madsen is among the founding members of the New Herald Tribune and chairs the editorial board. He worked for national syndicated newspapers in Newark, Philadelphia, and Baltimore before moving to the midwest.
November 29 , 2025
Washington, D.C., — President Donald Trump announced Friday that he has ordered a full naval blockade of Afghanistan, declaring that the United States will “close all their ports” and prevent any movement of goods “in or out” of the landlocked nation. The statement, made during a press briefing at the White House, immediately sparked confusion among international observers and military analysts.
“There will be a total naval blockade,” the president said. “Afghanistan’s access to international trade will be completely restricted until further notice.”
The Pentagon did not release specifics on how such a blockade would be implemented. Afghanistan, bordered by six countries and with no coastline, relies on land routes through Pakistan, Iran, and Central Asia for most trade. Defense officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the directive was being reviewed to determine “logistical feasibility.”
A senior administration official described the move as part of a “pressure campaign” intended to compel Afghan authorities to meet newly imposed security and counterterrorism commitments. “We have powerful tools at our disposal,” the official said. “This is one of them.”
As of late Friday, U.S. military units had not reported any new deployments related to Afghanistan, and the White House had not released additional details about how the plan would proceed.
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