Trump says U.S. will take Hormuz Strait, seek compensation

President Donald Trump declared on Monday, July 13, 2026, that the United States would take control of the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that Washington should be financially compensated by other nations for securing the vital global oil shipping lane. The announcement came amid a significant escalation of military exchanges between U.S. and Iranian forces over the preceding weekend, with both sides trading missile and drone attacks across the Gulf region.

In a phone interview with Fox News, Trump stated the U.S. would become the "guardian" or "guardian angel" of the strait. He argued that the United States, having secured the passage, deserves reimbursement from wealthy allied nations that benefit from the route. "We're going to keep the strait, and we'll probably run it," Trump said. "We should be reimbursed for that... We're going to get paid for guarding it, a lot of money."

The strategic waterway, linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, is a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies, with roughly one-fifth of the world's seaborne oil and liquefied natural gas passing through it. Iran has maintained it controls the strait and announced its closure over the weekend...