Trump Says US Should Control Strait of Hormuz and Be Reimbursed by Allies

President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States should control the Strait of Hormuz and be financially compensated for securing the critical oil-shipping waterway. The remarks come as escalating military exchanges between the U.S. and Iran have halted traffic through the strait, sending a shockwave through global energy markets.

Trump's Proposal

In a phone interview with Fox News, Trump outlined a vision where the U.S. would act as the primary guardian of the strait, a vital chokepoint for global oil supplies. "We’re going to keep the strait, and we’ll probably run it," Trump said. "We’ll become the guardian of the strait... And we should be reimbursed for that."

He argued that other wealthy nations benefiting from the secure passage of oil should bear the cost. "We’re going to get paid for guarding it - a lot of money," he added, noting, "we can’t be expected to do that for nothing."

Market and Geopolitical Tensions

The president's comments follow a sharp escalation in hostilities over the weekend, which saw U.S. and Iranian forces exchange heavy missile and drone attacks. Iran effectively blockaded the strait on Saturday, leading to an immediate surge in energy prices and heightening concerns about global inflation.

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This recent conflict puts a U.S.-Iranian interim agreement signed last month in jeopardy. The deal was intended to reopen the waterway and pause hostilities while negotiations continued. Tehran stated Sunday that passage remains suspended until "stability and calm" are restored.

Iran's Stance

Iran's Revolutionary Guards issued a statement on Monday pushing back against the U.S. presence. The Guards said the only way to restore normal shipping traffic is to end U.S. military interventions in the waterway.

The statement warned that "continued interference could lead to greater incidents in the global oil and gas sector," signaling that the standoff over control of one of the world's most important maritime passages is far from resolved.