Trump says US will be ‘paid’ for guarding Strait of Hormuz

President Donald Trump declared on Monday that the United States will receive payment for its military presence guarding the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that the U.S. would "take over" the strategic waterway.

"We'll become the guardian of the Strait," Trump told "Fox and Friends." He added that while the U.S. has been protecting the passage for "nothing," it will now be reimbursed by wealthy nations. "We're going to get paid for guarding it. A lot of money, but we just want to be reimbursed for doing all of this, for putting our people in danger."

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We'll become the guardian of the Strait.

Trump's remarks followed a significant escalation in attacks in the Middle East, the scale of which has not been seen since an April ceasefire. These hostilities have cast doubt on efforts to permanently end the war and have disrupted shipping through the vital energy trade route, a key point of contention between Washington and Tehran.

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We're going to get paid for guarding it. A lot of money, but we just want to be reimbursed for doing all of this, for putting our people in danger.

During the interview, Trump expressed frustration with Iranian negotiators' attempts to alter agreements reached during weekend talks. "We're taking over the Strait. They have nothing. They've got nothing," he said, referencing an 11-hour meeting where, according to Trump, everything was agreed upon before the Iranian side sought changes. He did not specify the nature of these proposed changes.

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman indicated that the government was engaged in discussions with mediators from Qatar, Pakistan, and Oman to prevent further escalation. While Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has claimed the Strait of Hormuz is "closed," the U.S. maintains it remains open to maritime traffic and is not under Iranian control.

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We're taking over the Strait. They have nothing. They've got nothing.