Trump declares US ‘Guardian of the Hormuz Strait,’ imposes 20% cargo fee

US President Donald Trump on Monday said that the United States would likely assume control of the Strait of Hormuz, describing Washington as the future "guardian" of the strategically important waterway and arguing that allied nations should reimburse America for securing the global energy route.

Speaking with Fox News, Trump said the US would continue to safeguard the strait and could even take over its operations.

"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 Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints, carrying a significant share of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Any disruption to traffic through the narrow waterway has immediate repercussions for international energy markets.

Trump said the United States should be compensated for ensuring the security of the strategic passage.

"We're going to guard it. We're going to get paid for guarding it – a lot of money," he said.

The US President argued that America's allies, many of whom rely heavily on energy shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz, should shoulder the financial burden of maintaining security in the region.

"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," Trump said.

20% fee on cargo proposed

Trump declared that the United States would assume the role of "The Guardian of the Hormuz Strait," saying the strategic waterway would remain open "with or without Iran" and proposing that Washington be reimbursed through a 20% charge on all cargo shipped through the passage.

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said the US would guarantee free navigation for all countries except Iran, while reinstating what he called "The Iranian Blockade".

"The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran," Trump wrote.

Trump announces 'Iranian Blockade'

Trump said the United States was restoring "The Iranian Blockade," describing it as a measure that would apply only to Iranian ships and customers.

"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," he wrote.

Trump said the United States should be reimbursed for providing security in the region and proposed charging 20% on all cargo shipped through the Strait of Hormuz.

"As a matter of FAIRNESS, [the United States] 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," he wrote.

According to Trump, work on implementing the proposal would begin immediately.

"The process and formation will begin immediately," he added.

Strait closure fuels global oil concerns

Trump's remarks come as the Strait of Hormuz has emerged as the central flashpoint in the escalating US-Iran conflict. Iran's effective blockade of the narrow shipping route has disrupted maritime traffic, sent global oil prices sharply higher and renewed fears of inflation driven by energy costs.

Iran warns US against 'interfering' in Hormuz, says Gulf cooperation would be 'an act of war'

However, Iran's military warned that it would not allow the United States to interfere in the management of the Strait of Hormuz, as hostilities between Tehran and Washington intensified over control of the strategic waterway.

In a video message, the spokesman for Iran's Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said Tehran would not permit any US involvement in overseeing transit through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical oil shipping routes.

"Under no circumstances will [we] allow... the United States to interfere in the management" of the Strait of Hormuz, the spokesman said.

Tehran announced the closure of the strait on Saturday after what it called an "unauthorized transit." Iranian authorities said on Sunday that the waterway would remain closed, adding that shipping permits would only be issued once "stability and calm" had been restored.

Trump accuses Iran of breaking agreements

The US President also accused Tehran of repeatedly violating agreements, saying diplomatic efforts had failed.

"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," Trump said.

Iran warns against US military presence

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Monday that normal shipping through the Strait of Hormuz would only resume if the United States halted its military operations in the region.

In a statement, the IRGC warned that continued US intervention could trigger broader disruptions to global energy markets.

"Continued interference could lead to greater incidents in the global oil and gas sector," the statement said.

Military exchanges intensify

The latest comments came after US and Iranian forces exchanged heavy missile and drone strikes over the weekend and into Monday. Tehran said it had targeted US military facilities across the Gulf while maintaining its closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The intensifying military confrontation has cast serious doubt over an interim US-Iran agreement reached last month that had aimed to reopen the waterway and suspend hostilities while both sides pursued a further 60 days of negotiations.