Trump Says U.S. Will Control Strait of Hormuz, Drops Fee Plan After Iran Resumes Blocking Ships

President Trump stated on July 13 that the United States would become the guardian of the Strait of Hormuz, blockade Iranian ports, and ensure safe passage for non-Iranian vessels. In the same post he said the U.S.

On July 14 Trump posted an amendment that removed the fee proposal while retaining the intent to assert control and resume the blockade. The post said Gulf states would make trade and investment deals with the U.S. as compensation.

Trump formally notified Congress on July 13 that the war with Iran had resumed. As of July 14 the cease-fire had disintegrated, negotiations had collapsed, and Iran was clamping down on ship traffic through the strait. Strikes across Iran entered their fourth consecutive day on July 14.

Recent violent clashes have reduced the number of vessels entering and exiting the Persian Gulf, with crossings on July 12 reaching the lowest level in a month. The narrowest stretch of the strait is 21 miles wide and lies within the territorial waters of Iran and Oman under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Neither Iran nor the United States is a party to the convention.

Iran began blocking ship traffic through the strait in February 2026 after U.S. and Israeli strikes and the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In May 2026 American forces began escorting vessels under Project Freedom, but the effort ended after two days when Saudi Arabia declined use of its bases and airspace.