Trump: No country ‘should be able to’ charge fee for Strait of Hormuz

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that no country should be allowed to charge fees to transit the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu reports.

“We would like to invest tremendously in the United States as opposed to charging a fee. And I like that actually because I don’t think anybody should be able to charge a fee for the strait or for any other strait relationship in terms of other sections of the world,” Trump said at a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House.

Trump said Gulf countries indicated a willingness to increase investments in the US instead of relying on transit fees.

“The Gulf states are going to invest a tremendous amount of money into the US, and that was very satisfactory to me,” he said. “I think it’s actually much better.”

The president said he had spoken with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.

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“I spoke to all of them, and they would love to invest more money in the United States at record amounts, and that would be very acceptable,” he said. “This way, there’s no fee. I don’t like the concept of a fee.”

Trump argued that it was unfair for the United States to bear the burden of protecting a strategic maritime passage used by countries around the world without receiving broader economic benefits in return.

“It’s not fair that we’re protecting this strait for the entire world,” he said.

Asked whether he regretted lifting a naval blockade or granting sanctions waivers, Trump said he had sought to provide an opportunity for diplomacy but blamed Iran for escalating the conflict.

“No. I gave them a chance. I wanted to give them a chance at making a deal … and they shot first, and that was a big mistake that they shot first because we have been knocking the hell out of them,” he added.

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