Trump Says U.S. Will Be Paid for Guarding Strait of Hormuz
"We'll become the guardian of the Strait," Trump said in an interview with Fox & Friends. "We're going to get paid for guarding it. A lot of money, but we just want to be reimbursed for doing all of this, for putting our people in danger."
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States would be reimbursed for protecting the Strait of Hormuz, declaring that Washington would become the "guardian" of the strategic waterway after years of providing security without compensation.
"We'll become the guardian of the Strait," Trump said in an interview with Fox & Friends. "We're going to get paid for guarding it. A lot of money, but we just want to be reimbursed for doing all of this, for putting our people in danger."
Trump's remarks came after a sharp escalation in hostilities between the United States and Iran, with both sides launching major attacks despite an April ceasefire, raising fresh concerns over efforts to secure a permanent end to the conflict. The latest fighting has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy exports.
The U.S. president also accused Iranian negotiators of trying to alter terms agreed during weekend talks.
"We're taking over the Strait. They have nothing," Trump said. "Yesterday, they had an 11-hour meeting, and everything was agreed to. Then they left the room, called back, and said they had to make a couple of changes," he said, without specifying the proposed amendments.
Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Ministry said Monday it is working with mediators from Qatar, Pakistan and Oman to prevent further escalation.
The status of the Strait of Hormuz remains disputed. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has claimed the waterway is "closed," while the United States insists maritime traffic continues to flow and rejects Tehran's claim that it controls the strategic passage.