President Donald Trump declared Sunday that the United States will begin charging a fee for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz starting immediately on Monday, positioning America as the “Guardian of the Hormuz Strait.”

In a Truth Social post, Trump stated that the U.S. deserves fair compensation for securing the critical waterway amid ongoing Iranian aggression. He wrote:

“The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran. We are reinstating THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE, so named because it is only stopping Iran’s ships or customers from entering or leaving. All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait.”

Trump added that the U.S. will now collect 20% on all cargo shipped through the strait to cover the costs of providing safety and security:

“The U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as ‘THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT,’ but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World. The process and formation will begin immediately.”

The announcement comes after multiple rounds of U.S. strikes on Iranian targets and repeated Iranian attacks on commercial vessels. Trump has made clear that the U.S. military will keep the strait open for international commerce while Iran faces both military pressure and economic consequences through the reinstated blockade on its ports and shipping.

This move marks a significant escalation in the administration’s strategy: not only maintaining freedom of navigation through force, but also making nations that benefit from the secure passage contribute financially to the effort.