How aides and allies got Trump to back off Strait of Hormuz toll
President Trump briefly proposed a 20% toll on cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz, sparking international concern and internal administration confusion. Aides and Gulf allies worked quickly to convince the President to reverse the decision, which he ultimately did the following day.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the volatile and transactional nature of current U.S. foreign policy decision-making and the potential for abrupt shifts to disrupt global trade and diplomatic relations.
President Donald Trump shocked Gulf allies and many of his own aides with his plan to impose a toll on the Strait of Hormuz, touching off an international scramble to convince him to reverse course on his demand, several sources familiar with the matter told CNN. The abrupt announcement on Monday came despite months of warnings from Trump’s own advisers not to pursue the idea, for fear it would undermine the US’ own war aims — as well as validate Iran’s purported plans to charge fees in the strait, which the administration repeatedly characterized as illegal. But as he surveyed the intensifying struggle over the strait that had drawn the US back into full-fledged war, a frustrated Trump pressed ahead anyway. “The U.S.A.
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