President Donald Trump took to social media on July 14th, revealing a major pivot in his approach to the Persian Gulf. After speaking with leaders from Middle Eastern countries, he said he’s scrapped the idea of slapping a 20% fee on goods moving through the Strait of Hormuz.
Instead, he’s pushing for trade and investment agreements between the U.S. and Gulf nations. “These investments are going to be absolutely massive,” Trump claimed. “We’re talking about factories, facilities, and equipment pouring into America on a scale we’ve never seen before. This is going to create millions of high-paying American jobs! America is winning again!”
On the same day, Trump also reiterated a tough stance on Iran, announcing a “complete blockade” that would target “only ships going to or from Iranian ports or carrying Iranian-related goods.” He firmly added that Iran will never get its hands on a nuclear weapon.
President Donald Trump (left) welcomes Iraqi Prime Minister al-Sudani at the White House in Washington on July 14th.
Just a day earlier, on July 13th, Trump had floated the idea of a 20% fee on all cargo shipped through the Strait of Hormuz as part of a revived naval blockade on Iran. Later, speaking to reporters at the White House, he explained that the U.S. should be compensated by “the countries we’re helping” in any conflict with Iran, specifically mentioning that America has been “very effective” in protecting Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE.