Donald Trump’s cargo toll plan in Strait of Hormuz would have been unprecedented, and likely illegal
PolitiFact – Rulings and Stories — 2026-07-14 12:42:00 — www.politifact.com
Trump’s Hormuz Strait Toll Plan: Legally Baseless, Quickly Abandoned
In a striking move, Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that “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.” He declared that the process would begin immediately, reiterating on Fox News that the U.S. would be “reimbursed for protection” in the strait.
Within a day, Trump reversed course, citing talks with Gulf region allies who, he said, would instead offer investment and trade deals.
A Familiar, False Theme
Trump’s demand for allies to pay for U.S. military protection is not new. PolitiFact previously rated as false his claim that South Korea didn’t pay the U.S. for its military protection. Trump has also falsely stated that Kuwait never paid the U.S. for reversing Saddam Hussein’s 1990 invasion, and he has repeatedly pushed NATO allies to pay more for their own defense.
No Legal Basis for Tolls
Military and legal experts overwhelmingly rejected Trump’s proposal to impose a U.S.-run tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz. Such a move would violate centuries of international law guaranteeing free passage through international waters. The U.S. itself fought the Barbary pirates in the early 1800s to end the practice of paying tribute for safe passage—a principle now enshrined in the Law of the Sea Convention and customary international law.
Experts noted that charging any fee for transiting the Strait of Hormuz would be a clear violation of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea. Even though the U.S. is not a party to the convention, it considers the right of transit passage to be binding customary law. Trump’s own secretary of state, Marco Rubio, recently affirmed that “no country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway.”
Practical and Diplomatic Risks
Beyond its illegality, experts said Trump’s plan would be unenforceable without significant military action and would set a dangerous precedent. If the U.S. could charge tolls, so could other countries bordering international straits, dramatically increasing global shipping costs and risking retaliation.
Conclusion
Trump’s brief push to impose U.S. tolls on ships in the Strait of Hormuz was not only legally baseless but contradicted longstanding U.S. and international policy. The episode fits a pattern of Trump making sweeping, false claims about allies’ financial obligations and proposing actions that experts say would violate international law and backfire on U.S. interests.
Source: https://www.politifact.com/article/2026/jul/14/strait-hormuz-cargo-ship-toll-trump-iran/