Trump retreat over Hormuz tolls suggests he is struggling to end Iran war
Image: BBC News
On Monday, in a social media post announcing the resumption of a US naval blockade on Iranian shipping, President Trump said all vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz - including those of US allies - must pay a 20% fee to reimburse America for securing the waterway.
The following day he abandoned the proposal entirely, offering instead to strike "trade and investment deals" with Gulf allies, implying the US would grant them safe passage through the strait in return.
The abrupt reversal is the latest twist in a conflict now past four months that, despite a month-old memorandum of understanding securing a temporary ceasefire, shows no sign of ending.
Trump may be wary of escalating a war that remains unpopular, risking higher energy prices and fresh attacks on US forces and allies. Yet ending it without a deal he can call better than the 2015 Obama accord may be equally unpalatable.
The US-Iran understanding effectively collapsed on Tuesday when Trump announced the blockade's resumption alongside a fresh wave of US strikes across Iran.
The episode underscores how volatile the Hormuz corridor remains, with each policy swing rattling global shipping and energy markets.