US-Iran War Update: Trump Claims US Control Of Strait Of Hormuz, Proposes Protection Fees

US President Donald Trump stated that Washington is taking over the Strait of Hormuz and will become the “guardian” of the critical waterway channel. However, President Trump also hinted at charging transit fees from wealthy nations utilizing the passage if necessary. He further claimed that Iran’s army, navy, and missile capabilities have been virtually wiped out and that its leadership has been severely decimated.

Trump Claims Role as “Guardian Angel” of the Strait of Hormuz

According to media reports, Donald Trump asserted that the United States has assumed control over the Strait of Hormuz to secure the maritime choke point. He argued that Washington should have addressed the security threat posed by Iran 47 years ago.

“We’re going to keep the strait, and we’ll probably run it. We’ll become the guardian of the strait. Maybe we’ll call it the guardian angel of the strait. And we should be reimbursed for that,” Trump said during a media interview. He emphasized that wealthy nations relying on the corridor should reimburse the US for its security services, stating, “We can’t be expected to do that for nothing.”

Iran Declares Strait of Hormuz Closed

Following the US President’s statements, Iran claimed that the Strait of Hormuz has been officially closed due to recent hostile actions by the US military targeting Iranian infrastructure.

Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter) stating:”Due to recent hostile actions by the US forces, passage through the Strait of Hormuz is currently unfeasible. As soon as stability and calm are restored, all applications will be reviewed in accordance with the scheduled timeline, and the permitting process will resume.”

The authority added a warning to international shipping companies, stating that the sole means of obtaining a passage permit is via their official website. Despite Iran’s claims, US Central Command (CENTCOM) pushed back, maintaining that traffic is still flowing and asserting that Iran does not control the international waterway.

Trump, Meloni, and Netanyahu Named on Iran’s Revenge List

In tandem with the maritime standoff, a conservative Iranian newspaper published a high-profile target list on Monday demanding retribution for the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed on February 28 during the opening days of the war.  The published “revenge list” includes prominent Western and allied world leaders.  The leaders are US President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

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