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President Trump name-dropped several Persian Gulf countries Monday that he said should be reimbursing the United States for protection of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
“Yeah, I want to be reimbursed because we’re protecting a very rich portion of the world, we’re spending money, and so what we’ve done is we are going to be reimbursed for protection,” Trump said in the Oval Office.
He named U.S. allies Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain, and said there are others.
“They will do very well,” he said. “But we think it’s appropriate.”
He went on to say the U.S. doesn’t “need” those countries because “we have more oil than any other country in the world.”
“We’re protecting all of them, and we’ve done a very effective job,” he said.
Trump announced earlier Monday that the U.S. would become the “guardian” of the strait and would reinstate the naval blockade against Iran.
He said a 20 percent fee would be collected as a way for the U.S. to be “reimbursed” for the secure passage.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi pushed back on Trump’s announcement, saying Iran has been the guardian of the strait and is who should be reimbursed.
“POTUS is absolutely right. Whoever provides secure and safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz should be compensated for this service,” he wrote on social media. “Iran has always been the GUARDIAN of the Strait and will remain so FOREVER.”
He said Iran would be “fair” and that 20 percent is too much.
U.S. Central Command said Monday that that blockade will go into effect at 4 p.m. EDT Tuesday.
The president is looking to ramp up pressure on Tehran after several rounds of strikes were launched in retaliation for Iran’s targeting of commercial vessels in the strait.
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