Trump Cancels Proposed Hormuz Toll but Confirms U.S. Blockade of Iranian Vessels
President Trump announced the removal of a 20% cargo fee for ships in the Strait of Hormuz, replacing it with prospective trade deals, while the U.S. military prepared to enforce a blockade of Iranian-flagged vessels.
President Donald Trump said the United States will not levy a 20% reimbursement fee on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, reversing a policy announced the day before. He wrote that the fee would be replaced by "trade and investment deals" from Gulf states, though no specifics were provided.
Despite dropping the toll, Trump confirmed that the U.S. will proceed with a blockade of Iranian ships, scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. Eastern Time. The U.S. Central Command instructed mariners approaching the Gulf of Oman and the strait to contact U.S. naval forces on channel 16 and said further guidance would be issued.
The announcement comes amid heightened hostilities between the United States and Iran. U.S. forces launched strikes targeting Iranian defense systems, missile sites and maritime assets, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guard reported striking two non-compliant supertankers in the strait. Iran also claimed to have fired missiles and drones at U.S. facilities in Bahrain and Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates said two of its tankers were hit by Iranian cruise missiles, resulting in one fatality.
The ceasefire agreed in June, which marked a halfway point in a 60-day truce, has largely collapsed following recent attacks on commercial vessels and reciprocal strikes. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran remains in contact with mediators from Oman, Qatar and Pakistan, but the status of negotiations with Washington remains unclear.
Analysts note that differing interpretations of the June memorandum, particularly a clause stating Iran will make “arrangements for the safe passage of commercial vessels,” have contributed to the dispute over control of the waterway, which carries about 20% of global energy supplies. The International Crisis Group warned that the ambiguous terms are fueling renewed fighting.
Trump told reporters that Gulf leaders preferred investment commitments over a toll, citing discussions with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. He described the United States as the "guardian of the Hormuz Strait" in a social-media post.