CryptoWorld News reports that in a Tuesday phone interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump said that the blockade is making Iran “very poor,” and added that he would continue to maintain the relevant blockade measures as needed depending on the situation. He also played down an incident in which a U.S. military helicopter crashed, saying it was “nothing serious,” and emphasized that all the pilots were safe.

Trump previously stated on social media that Iran shot down a U.S. military Apache helicopter performing patrol duties over the Strait of Hormuz, and that the U.S. must respond to the attack. A spokesperson for U.S. Central Command said that after the “Apache” helicopter went down and the crew landed in the water at night, they stayed in the water for about two hours before being rescued. A senior U.S. official described the crew’s successful escape from the crashed helicopter as a miraculous survival.