President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. will impose a 20% fee on all cargo shipped through the Strait of Hormuz after declaring America the “guardian” of the major oil shipping route.
In a Truth Social post, the President announced that the U.S. will reinstate its blockade of Iranian ports near the strait, the focal point of the escalating conflict with Tehran. The blockade is set to restart on Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, according to U.S. Central Command.
“The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran. We are reinstating the THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE, so named because it is only stopping Iran’s ships or customers from entering or leaving. All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait. The U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as “THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT,” but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World. The process and formation will begin immediately. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
Following the post, Trump told reporters at the White House; “We’re attacking them tonight, and we’re taking out all of their capability for anything having to do with the strait… And I think in the end, we will end up controlling the whole thing.”
The U.S. has declined Iran’s proposal to impose tolls on ships crossing the strait, a move that maritime experts, regulators, and even top officials from the Trump administration have described as illegal under international law.
The United Nations’ International Maritime Organization, which oversees maritime transport, stated after Trump’s post that it “stands firmly against charging fees for passage through straits used for international navigation.”
By CEO NA Editorial Staff
