Iran latest: Hegseth tells Congress 'We control the strait'

The ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran will be among the topics on the agenda for President Donald Trump when he arrives in China.

Before departing on Tuesday, Trump said he planned on having a "long talk" with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the war, although he pointed out that discussions over trade would be the primary focus of his visit.

The president also reiterated his threat to resume military operations if the U.S. and Iran do not reach an agreement on its nuclear program. 

"We have Iran very much under control," Trump said. "We’re either going to make a deal or they’re going to be decimated. One way or the other, we win."

On Capitol Hill, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told members of Congress that the U.S. was in control of the Strait of Hormuz, despite Iranian attacks and threats that have upended shipping through the vital waterway.

"Ultimately, we control the strait, because nothing’s going in that we don’t allow to go in," Hegseth said.

Here’s the latest from Wednesday:

Hegseth: "We control the strait"

7:38 a.m. ET: Without going into specifics about the next steps, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told Congress, "We control the strait, because nothing’s going in that we don’t allow to go in."

Hegseth testified before Congress Tuesday about the Iran strategy and defense spending. He insisted the U.S. is in control of the Strait of Hormuz, despite attacks from Iranian ships and threats of further attacks disrupting oil shipments and other products.