US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States would take control of the Strait of Hormuz and be reimbursed for securing the strategic waterway, as tensions with Iran continued to escalate. Speaking in a phone interview on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends,” Trump said the US would “become the guardian of the strait,” adding: “We are going to guard it. We are going to get paid.”
He argued that friendly nations benefiting from the route should compensate Washington, noting the US had secured the waterway for decades without payment.The Strait of Hormuz is a critical route for global oil exports. Iran announced a blockade of the waterway on Saturday, citing an unauthorised transit, and later said shipping would remain suspended until “stability and calm” were restored. The closure has driven up global energy prices.
Trump accused Iran of repeatedly violating past agreements and warned of a forceful response to further breaches. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said normal shipping would only resume once US military operations in the strait ceased, warning that continued US involvement could further disrupt global oil and gas markets.
US and Iranian forces exchanged missile and drone attacks over the weekend and into Monday, intensifying regional tensions and casting doubt on last month’s interim agreement to reopen the strait and pause hostilities.
