US President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that the Strait of Hormuz is open to all ships except those from Iran, and that he has replaced the proposed 20% reimbursement fee for passage with massive investment deals from Gulf nations.
Trump's Announcement on Strait of Hormuz
Writing on Truth Social, Trump stated: "The Strait of Hormuz is open to ALL Ship traffic except for Iran — and that is because of their lying, violent, malicious leadership, which is taking them down the path of TOTAL DESTRUCTION. We will therefore have a FULL Blockade, but only on Ships coming to and from Iranian ports, or carrying anything have to do with Iranian cargo."
Replacing the Fee with Investment Deals
Trump clarified that the previously proposed 20% fee for ships passing through the strait has been scrapped. He wrote: "Based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership, I have decided to replace the 20% United States Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States."
He emphasized that these investments would be "MASSIVE" but beneficial for both sides, claiming they would create millions of high-paying American jobs and bring factories, plants, and equipment into the US at historic levels.
Context and Previous Proposal
The announcement comes a day after Trump proposed a 20% fee on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil shipments. The reversal follows what Trump described as "highly productive conversations" with Middle Eastern leaders, though he did not specify which Gulf states were involved.
Trump also reiterated his强硬 stance on Iran, stating: "The days of Iran killing hundreds of thousands of people, including 52,000 protestors, are OVER and, most importantly, IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!"
