Not Joking About: Trump Is 'Very Serious' About 20% Toll On Cargo Passing Through Hormuz
Not Joking About: Trump Is 'Very Serious' About 20% Toll On Cargo Passing Through Hormuz Published By, Last Updated: July 14, 2026, 17:12 IST Trump
Not Joking About: Trump Is 'Very Serious' About 20% Toll On Cargo Passing Through Hormuz Published By, Last Updated: July 14, 2026, 17:12 IST Trump first floated the idea in April, asking "why shouldn't" the US charge such a fee, before later warning that US could impose the levy if a deal with Iran was not reached. US President Donald Trump reacts after being given a personalised racing helmet during a Freedom 250 Grand Prix Showcase at the White House in Washington, DC, US. (IMAGE: REUTERS) After “flirting" with the idea for nearly four months, US President Donald Trump is now “very serious" about imposing a 20% toll on cargo transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a top White House official. Iran started blocking the strait after the US and Israel launched attacks in late February, prompting Washington to halt shipping to and from Iranian ports.
Those restrictions were eased after the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding in June aimed at ending the war. Trump’s announcement on Monday effectively signalled a return to the wartime proposal, but this time with Washington seeking to levy a fee for securing one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. The president said the US “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." Trump first floated the idea in April, asking “why shouldn’t" the US charge such a fee, before later warning that Washington could impose the levy if a deal with Iran was not reached. A report by Semafor, citing a senior White House official, said there had been “opposition from some in his orbit" to the proposal.
“This is what he’s always wanted to do, but people tried to talk him out of it. To him, this was his instinctual decision always, and he’s sort of just come back around to it," the White House official was quoted as saying by Semafor. The official added that the details of the proposal are still being worked out. Trump, however, views the 20% payments as reimbursement for the “costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World." Trump’s latest announcement also appeared to contradict earlier positions taken by some of his top officials. Vice President JD Vance has previously said the administration believes “international waterways should be free of tolls", while Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined Gulf Cooperation Council countries in rejecting “any tolls, fees or attempts to assert control over the strait." News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18.
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