U.S. President Donald Trump has said the United States would likely assume control of the Strait of Hormuz and should be compensated for securing the critical global shipping route, as tensions with Iran continue to escalate.
Speaking in a phone interview on Fox News’ Fox & Friends on Monday, Trump suggested Washington could take on responsibility for safeguarding one of the world’s most vital oil transit corridors.
“We’re going to keep the Strait, and we’ll probably run it. We’ll become the guardians of the strait — maybe we’ll call it the guardian angel of the strait. And we should be reimbursed for that,” he said, according to Reuters.
Trump added that countries benefiting from the waterway’s security should bear the financial cost. “We’re going to guard it. We’re going to get paid for guarding it — a lot of money,” he said. “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.”
His remarks come as the Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of rising tensions between Washington and Tehran. Iran announced the closure of the strategic waterway on Saturday, citing what it described as an unauthorised transit, and said on Sunday that shipping would remain suspended until “stability and calm” are restored.
Trump accused Iran of backing out of prior agreements. “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, so we’re just going to hit them very hard,” he said.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said normal shipping through the strait could only resume if the United States halts its military operations in the area. The group warned that “continued interference could lead to greater incidents in the global oil and gas sector.”
The latest developments follow heavy missile and drone exchanges between U.S. and Iranian forces over the weekend and into Monday. Tehran said it targeted U.S. military installations across the Gulf while maintaining its closure of the Strait of Hormuz — a move that has already driven global oil prices higher.
