Trump Backs Down from 20% Strait of Hormuz Tolls

U.S. President Trump announced in a post on Truth Social that he had dropped his decision to impose a 20% levy on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz and instead wants to replace that charge with trade deals and investments by various Gulf countries in the United States. In some coverage, this shift in position was described as a retreat from a prior claim or plan. Alongside this, Trump in the same messages spoke of a “total blockade,” but said it would be limited to ships coming to and leaving Iranian ports or carrying cargo related to Iran. Some sources also reflected this in the context of his talks with Middle Eastern leaders and his claims about the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and Iran.

• ISNA, IRNA, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting news agency, IRIB News, and Khabar Online portrayed the development as Trump’s “backing down” from his claim that he would impose a 20% levy in the Strait of Hormuz.
• Entekhab, Rooydad24, Tejarat News, Fars, and BBC, citing Trump, wrote that he had decided to replace the 20% charge with trade deals and investment.
• In Entekhab and Rooydad24’s account, Trump attributed this decision to “very productive” or “very constructive” talks with Middle Eastern leaders.
• Entekhab and Rooydad24 quoted Trump as saying that those investments would be made in the United States by various Gulf countries and would be “huge” or “very huge.”
• Fars, Tejarat News, and BBC reflected another part of Trump’s message in which he spoke of a “total blockade,” but only with regard to ships linked to Iranian ports or Iranian cargo.
• BBC wrote that Trump described the Strait of Hormuz as “open” to everyone except Iran.
• BBC also quoted Trump as describing Iran in these terms and writing: “A lying, violent, and malicious leadership is driving Iran toward total destruction.”
• BBC reported that Trump went on to write: “America wins again,” and also said that Iran will never have nuclear weapons.
• BBC added that Trump had referred to himself the day before as the “guardian of the Strait of Hormuz” and had spoken of taking 20% of cargo as a “necessary cost of ensuring safety and security.”
• Rooydad24 reported that Britain reiterated its position after the issue was raised, saying the Strait of Hormuz should be reopened “without tariffs or fees.”
• In Iranian media accounts, the main focus of the story was Trump’s retreat from his earlier claim, whereas in the accounts by Entekhab, Fars, Tejarat News, and BBC, the details of his message and the replacement of the levy with investment were more prominently highlighted.
• Some sources, such as ISNA and IRIB News, deta