Trump’s Canceled Plan to Charge a Toll in the Strait of Hormuz: What to Know
NYT > U.S. > Politics — 2026-07-14 14:25:00 — www.nytimes.com
President Trump Reverses Course on Strait of Hormuz Fees, Citing Gulf Investment Promises
President Trump on Tuesday reversed his previous announcement that the United States would impose steep fees on cargo shipped through the Strait of Hormuz, marking yet another abrupt policy shift in his approach to the ongoing conflict with Iran. Just one day earlier, Trump had declared that the U.S. would charge a 20 percent fee on shipping through the vital waterway—a move that contradicted months of public statements from his own administration, which had maintained that such fees would violate international law.
Trump’s reversal was delivered in a lengthy social media post, where he stated, “Based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership, I have decided to replace the 20% United States Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States.” He later told reporters that Gulf leaders had persuaded him to accept investments in U.S. companies instead of imposing the controversial fees, which experts warned could have more than doubled shipping costs for oil passing through the strait.
Contradictory Statements and Policy Shifts
Initially, Trump defended the proposed toll as a way for the U.S. to recover the cost of providing military protection to vessels in the region, calling it “a matter of FAIRNESS” on social media. However, after widespread criticism and warnings from his own officials—including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who both insisted that international law prohibits any country from charging tolls on international waterways—Trump abandoned the plan. “I don’t think anybody should be able to charge a fee for the strait,” he said, describing his new approach as “much better.”
Despite Trump’s claim that the strait was “open to ALL Ship traffic except for Iran,” the reality is that shipping through the area has nearly ceased as the U.S. and Iran have exchanged strikes, effectively ending a month-old cease-fire and causing volatility in global oil prices.
Unclear Details on Gulf Investment Deals
Trump’s new plan centers on trade and investment deals with Persian Gulf states, but details remain scarce. He has promised that these investments will be “MASSIVE but, at the same time, extraordinarily good for them, and their future,” and claimed that the U.S. will see “Factories, Plants, and Equipment pour into the United States at Historic levels, which will create additional millions of High Paying AMERICAN Jobs!” However, as of Tuesday, it was unclear which countries had agreed to invest or what form these investments would take.
Fact-Checking Trump’s Claims
Trump’s statements about the strait being open to all but Iranian ships are contradicted by reports that shipping traffic has nearly stopped due to ongoing hostilities. Additionally, his initial proposal to charge a toll was at odds with international law and with the public stance of his own administration. The details of the promised investment deals remain unsubstantiated, with no evidence provided to support claims of historic job creation or economic benefit.
Conclusion
President Trump’s rapid reversal on the Strait of Hormuz tolls highlights a pattern of shifting positions and unverified promises in his handling of the conflict with Iran. While he now touts investment deals as a replacement for controversial shipping fees, the lack of concrete details and the contradiction of earlier statements raise questions about the administration’s strategy and credibility in managing this critical international crisis.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/14/world/middleeast/trump-iran-strait-hormuz-toll-oil.html