Trump Declares US Guardianship of Strategic Waterway
President Donald Trump has declared that the United States will assume responsibility for securing the Strait of Hormuz and will seek financial compensation from nations that benefit from its protection. In an interview on Fox News' Fox & Friends on Monday, July 13, Trump stated that the US would become the 'guardian' of the vital waterway, arguing that countries enjoying its security should contribute to the costs.
'We'll become the guardian of the Strait. 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 said. He emphasized that the US had been protecting the strait for years without reimbursement, adding, 'We're going to keep the strait, and we'll probably run it. We'll become the guardian of the strait. Maybe we'll call it the guardian angel of the strait. And we should be reimbursed for that.'
Renewed Tensions with Iran Over Strait
The announcement comes amid heightened US-Iran tensions following a series of military exchanges that have jeopardized an interim ceasefire agreement reached earlier this year. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil and gas shipments, remains at the center of the dispute. Trump accused Iran of violating previous agreements, stating, '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, and so we're just going to hit them very hard.'
He also criticized Iranian negotiators for demanding changes after lengthy talks. 'Yesterday, they had an 11-hour meeting and everything was agreed to. Then they leave the room, call back, and say they had to make a couple of changes,' Trump claimed.
Iran's Response and Regional Mediation
Iran's foreign ministry said it is continuing discussions with mediators from Qatar, Pakistan, and Oman to prevent further escalation. Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) insisted that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and warned that normal shipping would only resume if the United States ends its military operations in the area. The IRGC cautioned that continued interference could have wider consequences for the global oil and gas market.
The latest confrontation follows missile and drone attacks exchanged by US and Iranian forces over the weekend. Tehran said it targeted American military facilities across the Gulf while maintaining its closure of the waterway. The renewed hostilities have raised concerns over global energy supplies and pushed oil prices higher.
