Donald Trump says he will enforce "a total blockade" limited to ships linked to Iran

Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that he is abandoning a proposed 20% tax on vessels using the Strait of Hormuz, opting instead to negotiate trade and investment pacts with Gulf nations. He simultaneously declared that the waterway remains open to all maritime traffic except ships connected to Iran, citing what he described as Tehran’s deceptive and aggressive leadership. Trump stated the United States would enforce a naval blockade strictly targeting vessels heading to or from Iranian ports, or those carrying Iranian-linked cargo. The announcements come amid rising military tensions between Washington and Tehran. Oil markets initially reacted with a more than 5% spike in prices, but later moderated—Brent crude settled at roughly $84.97 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate at $79.62—after Trump’s tax reversal became clear, though the threat of a renewed blockade continues to hang over the region.