Trump demands nations reimburse US over Hormuz conflict
US president Donald Trump on Monday demanded that countries benefiting from the security of the Strait of Hormuz reimburse Washington for the costs of protecting the crucial oil-shipping route, accusing nations of providing “no help whatsoever” during the conflict with Iran. In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump said oil was continuing to flow through the strategic waterway and argued that the United States should be compensated once the military conflict ends. “We are doing it much more for others, than we are for ourselves, and we have been for Generations!”, the US president added. Iranian officials have said that vessels must follow routes and procedures set by Tehran, while Washington has rejected Iran’s claim to control the strait.
“Oil is flowing through the Hormuz Strait. The Countries of the World, which have been no help to us whatsoever, should, and will, reimburse the United States of America when this SCAM Confligration is all over,” Trump wrote. Meanwhile, Tehran asserts control over the strategic waterway and maintains restrictions on shipping. Trump’s demand came as the US military continued efforts to keep oil shipments moving through the waterway.
He has claimed that Washington has already won the war, destroyed Iran’s military and “obliterated” its nuclear programme, even as US military officials have raised concerns about depleted arsenals and overstretched ships at sea. In another post, he wrote, “I hope everyone realizes that price increases throughout America were caused by Sleepy Joe Biden and the Biden Administration, not by “TRUMP. THe claimed that the oil prices would “drop like a rock” once the Iran conflict ends, which he expects to happen soon.
Trump has repeatedly sought to portray the US military campaign against Iran as a success. Trump also sought to shift responsibility for higher prices in the US away from his administration, blaming former President Joe Biden for inflation and elevated oil prices. Even Oil was higher under Biden than it is right now, and we prevented Iran from having a Nuclear Weapon! “The failing Nation of Iran wants to make a deal, quickly and badly. I will determine whether or not the USA. will choose to engage – The concept of which we are open to,” Trump wrote. Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.
Earlier on Monday, energy secretary Chris Wright told reporters that the number of oil shipments escorted by the US Navy through Hormuz was increasing on average, according to Reuters. Earlier on Monday, Trump had also indicated that Tehran was seeking negotiations.