Hormuz Tolls Suggest Trump Is Struggling to End Iran War

Donald Trump’s shifting demands over how the United States would secure shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have underscored how hard it is proving to end the war with Iran, which has now dragged on for more than four months.

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On Monday, the president announced on Truth Social that the United States would resume a naval blockade of Iranian-linked shipping and said all vessels passing through the strait, including ships from US allies, would have to pay a 20% fee. Trump said the charges were meant to reimburse the US “for any and all costs” tied to providing safety and security in what he described as a volatile area.

The proposal lasted a day. On Tuesday, Trump withdrew it, instead saying he would pursue “trade and investment deals” with Gulf allies. The message suggested Washington would offer them safe passage through Hormuz in exchange for cooperation on economic arrangements.

Hormuz proposal flips after short run

The abrupt change came as negotiations between Washington and Tehran, temporarily framed by a memorandum of understanding, failed to produce an enduring ceasefire.

The MOU had been meant to put a ceiling on hostilities and set out a path for further talks. Both sides had previously described it as a breakthrough, though key aspects were left for later negotiation.

Trump’s blockade announcement on Tuesday signaled the end of that framework. At 10:16 ET (16:16 BST), the MOU “died” on Truth Social, according to Trump’s post, as he also cited a wave of renewed US military strikes across Iran.

Blockade returns as attacks spread

Iran responded by intensifying attacks on US allies and on commercial shipping in the region. Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz again slowed to near standstill, according to the report.

The renewed cycle of fighting followed weeks of stop-and-start diplomacy. Each time a ceasefire appeared to hold, occasional incidents tested the terms, leaving doubts about whether both sides were observing the same understanding.

Although the US had, in military terms, carried out strikes that it said achieved its immediate aims—destroying Iranian ships, aircraft and targets and degrading defence capabilities—the political track remained unresolved. The ability to deny Iran access to the strait was also not automatic, the article said, and without a major escalation by American forces in the region, the US could not fully prevent Iranian pressure on shipping.

Prior “tolls” criticism resurfaces

Trump’s latest Hormuz fee idea was not new, having been floated at various points during the war. But it collided with earlier US messaging from within the administration.

In a statement last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned an Iranian plan to impose “fees” on shipping through the strait, saying international waterways should not be subject to tolls and referring to existing international law and practice across global routes.

The memorandum’s text had also left room for Iran to play a role in managing the safe passage of commercial vessels through Hormuz. It stated that the Islamic Republic would make arrangements, using its best efforts, for safe passage “with no charge”.

Alongside that language, the MOU included promised investment in Iran and an end to international sanctions. Those elements had been treated by some as inducements aimed at reducing Iran’s incentive to use geography for leverage in the strait. The report said that assessment has proved wrong, at least for now.

Defense Priorities director Rosemary Kelanid said the MOU was effectively undone, with the commitments it described “completely” reversed.

Patience tested on both sides

With the blockade back in place, Iran faces renewed pressure as oil revenue—described as a lifeline for the regime—comes under strain again. Trump, meanwhile, is confronted with a recurring choice: expand the conflict further, or accept an outcome that leaves Iran in place despite the risk that the fighting could restart.

Elliot Abrams, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the two sides are again asking who can outlast the other, with Iran unable to export oil and the US and other customers dependent on Persian Gulf supply.

The dispute also leaves the underlying issues unresolved, including control of the strait, Iran’s nuclear programme, and Iran’s regional influence. Abrams said there could be room for negotiations over a Hormuz arrangement, but not a return to the earlier memorandum framework.

As the war approaches a fifth month, Trump pointed out that other US conflicts, including the Vietnam War, had lasted for years. The report noted that a prolonged conflict contributed to political damage for Lyndon Baines Johnson, and that Trump’s team is also mindful of the domestic backdrop heading into November’s midterm elections—especially given the concern that higher oil prices would reverse recent improvements in consumer inflation trends. After Trump’s Monday post, the price of a barrel of oil rose nearly 10%, the biggest one-day gain in six years.

With the MOU dismantled and hostilities resumed, the article said the war does not appear closer to resolution than it was in the early weeks of the conflict.

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15 July 2026

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