US President Donald Trump has declared that the United States will assume full control of security operations in the Strait of Hormuz, announcing a sweeping new policy that includes a 20% reimbursement fee on all non‑Iranian cargo passing through the strategic waterway. The move marks one of Washington’s most assertive steps in the escalating confrontation with Iran.
Trump’s announcement came hours after he told Fox News that the US would “take charge” of securing the strait, calling it a matter of global stability. In a later post on Truth Social, he said the US would be known as “THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT”, adding that countries benefiting from American protection should contribute financially. “Implementation will begin immediately,” he wrote.
He also declared the reinstatement of what he termed the “Iranian blockade”, stating that only Iranian vessels — and ships conducting business with Tehran — would be restricted. “The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran,” Trump said. “All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait.”
The announcement follows a series of Iranian attacks on commercial vessels, including a container ship that caught fire last week, prompting US retaliatory strikes on Iranian missile and air‑defence systems around the strait. The confrontation has pushed the fragile US‑Iran interim peace framework to breaking point, with Iran responding by targeting several Gulf nations.
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow chokepoint linking the Persian Gulf to global markets, handles nearly one‑fifth of the world’s oil and LNG shipments. Any disruption risks major shocks to global energy supplies and shipping routes.
Trump’s new policy has triggered intense debate among allies and analysts, with supporters calling it a necessary stabilising measure and critics warning it could inflame regional tensions.