On Tuesday, July 13, 2026, President Donald Trump announced that the United States will abandon a previously proposed 20 percent surcharge on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz and instead pursue commercial and investment agreements with countries bordering the Gulf. The shift follows a day‑old declaration in which Trump said the nation would resume a policy aimed at restricting Iranian maritime traffic and described the United States as the protector of the waterway. By replacing the fee with bilateral deals, the administration seeks to maintain influence over the strategic chokepoint while avoiding a direct financial charge on shipping, a move that could affect regional trade dynamics and U.S.–Iran relations.