Trump unveils plan for US control of Strait of Hormuz, seeks payment for security

Trump unveils plan for US control of Strait of Hormuz, seeks payment for security

US President Donald Trump has announced plans for the United States to assume control of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, declaring that Washington should be compensated for protecting one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes as tensions with Iran continue to escalate.

Speaking during a telephone interview with Fox News’ Fox & Friends, Trump said the US would become the “guardian” of the Strait of Hormuz and ensure that the critical shipping lane remains open for international commerce.

“We’re going to keep the strait, and we’ll probably run it. We’ll become the guardian of the strait. Maybe we’ll call it the guardian angel of the strait. And we should be reimbursed for that,” Trump said.

The US president argued that countries benefiting from the security of the waterway should contribute financially to its protection.

“We’re going to guard it. We’re going to get paid for guarding it—a lot of money. We’re going to be reimbursed because the other nations are very wealthy. They’re on our side, and we can’t be expected to do that for nothing,” he added.

Trump later expanded on the proposal, suggesting that commercial cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz could be subject to a 20 per cent transit charge to offset the cost of US security operations in the region.

His remarks came amid a sharp deterioration in relations between Washington and Tehran, following renewed military exchanges that have heightened fears of a wider regional conflict.

Iran recently announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, citing security concerns after a series of missile and drone strikes involving Iranian and US forces.

Tehran said commercial shipping through the strategic waterway would remain suspended until what it described as the restoration of “stability and calm.”

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Trump accused Iran of reneging on previous agreements designed to keep the waterway open for international navigation.

“We had a deal. It was a done deal, and then they broke it. They always break it. We’ve had 10 deals with these people, and so we’re just going to hit them very hard,” he said.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) insisted that the only way to restore normal maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is for the United States to halt its military operations in the Gulf.

The Iranian military warned that continued US intervention could further destabilise the region and disrupt global oil and gas supplies.

The latest confrontation follows several days of missile and drone attacks between the two countries, with Iran claiming responsibility for strikes on US military installations in the Gulf, while Washington launched retaliatory attacks on Iranian military targets.

The renewed hostilities have effectively undermined a temporary understanding reportedly reached between the two countries last month to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and reduce military tensions while diplomatic negotiations continued.

The Strait of Hormuz is regarded as one of the world’s most strategically significant maritime chokepoints, linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

An estimated 20 per cent of global seaborne crude oil and a substantial share of the world’s liquefied natural gas exports pass through the narrow waterway every day, making it indispensable to global energy markets.

Major oil-exporting countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, rely heavily on the route to transport crude oil and natural gas to international markets.

The renewed tensions have already sent global oil prices higher as investors worry that prolonged disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz could tighten energy supplies, increase transportation costs and fuel inflation worldwide.

Trump’s proposal has also generated international legal debate, with maritime law experts questioning whether any nation can unilaterally assume control of or impose transit charges on an international waterway governed by international maritime law.

Diplomatic observers warn that any attempt to enforce such a policy could further complicate already fragile relations in the Middle East and heighten geopolitical risks in one of the world’s most volatile regions.

Governments, energy companies and international shipping operators are expected to closely monitor developments as the security situation in the Gulf continues to evolve.

Trump unveils plan for US control of Strait of Hormuz, seeks payment for security