Trump said Middle Eastern leaders persuaded him to reduce the toll just a day after he announced it — and added that he was against charging any fees for the key waterway.
“Based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership, I have decided to replace the 20% United States Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States,” Trump said on his Truth Social network.
He said he would continue with a “FULL Blockade” on ships coming to and from Iranian ports, set to restart at 2000 GMT Tuesday, or ships carrying anything have to do with Iranian cargo.
Tehran largely closed the narrow Strait of Hormuz, a key global waterway for oil and gas, after the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
It began to reopen after a ceasefire deal in June, but has once again become the focus of military action after the truce effectively broke down last week.
Trump had declared on Monday that Washington was now “THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT” and would impose hefty fees on shipping to reimburse it for protecting it — while giving few details of the plan.
