President Donald Trump warned Sunday that if Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. will seize control of the strategic waterway and charge transit fees — including a 20% cut of oil passing through — escalating his rhetoric against Tehran, according to a single report from an affiliated the source.
President Donald Trump escalated his threats against Iran over the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, warning that if Tehran closes the waterway, the U.S. will seize control and charge transit fees — including a 20% cut of the oil passing through. The demand, reported by a single affiliated source, marks the first time Trump has specified an economic component to his threats. The remark came after a day of multiple escalating statements: at 07:50 Jerusalem, Trump warned of tolls if no deal is reached within 60 days; at 16:31, he said closing the strait would mean 'you will not have a country'; at 16:20, he told Fox News the U.S. might need to seize the waterway and threatened to 'blow them up'; and at 17:11, he accused Iran of using the strait for 'blackmail'. The 20% oil cut proposal is new and has not appeared in prior statements.
As The Zioneer reported over the past week, Trump's rhetoric on the Strait of Hormuz has intensified steadily. On Sunday, multiple bulletins tracked the escalation: first the Fox News interview at 16:20, then the 'no country' warning at 16:31, the blackmail comment at 17:11, and the tolls ultimatum at 07:50 — all sourced to a single outlet or unofficial channel. Earlier in the week, on Wednesday June 17, The Zioneer reported Trump warning that sustained U.S. military operations could close the strait for an extended period, and that a ceasefire deal might be pending. The latest statements add specificity but remain based on a single source, with no independent confirmation from the White House or other news outlets.
The backdrop to the threats, as The Zioneer previously reported, includes ongoing U.S. strikes inside Iran, and Trump's warning to Iranian President Pezeshkian to 'shut his mouth' or face U.S. control of the rest of the country. The economic proposal — a 20% transit fee — would effectively make the U.S. the 'guardian angel' of the strait, as Trump described it.
What remains open: the 20% oil cut demand is sourced to a single affiliated channel and has not been corroborated by additional outlets or official U.S. statements. It is unclear whether the fee is a negotiating tactic or a concrete policy proposal, and no timeframe for implementation has been given.
8 developments
- DevelopingSenator Graham: Stop restraining Israel, US should use military force if Iran does not sign deal immediately
- StrongTrump warns he may impose Strait of Hormuz tolls if no Iran deal in 60 days
- StrongSenator Graham warns he will 'eliminate' Iran if it tests US via Hezbollah attack on Israel
- DevelopingTrump: Without a deal, US military actions could shut Hormuz for extended period
Source and signal
- Internal intake