Trump plans to 'take over' Strait of Hormuz, reimpose Iran port ban

President Donald Trump declared on Tuesday that the United States intends to "take over" the Strait of Hormuz and reinstate a port ban on Iran. He announced that American forces would impose a 20% levy on all goods transported by Iranian ships, with the revenue intended to fund U.S. protection of the vital waterway.

"The Strait of Hormuz is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran," Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social. He clarified that the reimposed ban, termed the "IRANIAN PORT BAN," would specifically halt ships from Iran or its clients. "All other countries will be able to transit the strait fairly and freely," he added, proclaiming the U.S. would be known as the "PROTECTORS OF HORMUZ."

This assertive statement comes amid a significant escalation in tensions between the U.S. and Iran. The two nations have recently engaged in a series of attacks and retaliatory strikes targeting each other and neighboring countries in the Persian Gulf. Trump's declaration signals a hardening of the U.S. stance, aiming to exert greater control over maritime traffic and exert economic pressure on Iran.

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The Strait of Hormuz is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran. We are reinstating the IRANIAN PORT BAN, so called because the ban only stops ships from Iran or their clients coming and going. All other countries will be able to transit the strait fairly and freely. The United States will, from this point forward, be known as the "PROTECTORS OF HORMUZ."