Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 20% toll on tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important oil shipping routes, while casting himself as the "Guardian Angel" protecting the waterway. The move reflects Trump's broader push to leverage US military and diplomatic influence over global trade chokepoints, and comes amid ongoing tensions involving Iran, which borders the strait and has previously threatened to close it. Such a toll could significantly affect global oil prices and shipping costs, given that a large share of the world's seaborne crude passes through the strait daily.

The Strait of Hormuz, situated between Iran and Oman, is a critical passage through which a substantial proportion of global oil exports travel, making any disruption or new levy there highly consequential for energy markets. Trump's framing of the proposed toll alongside his self-declared protector role suggests he is positioning US involvement in the region as both a security and economic arrangement, though details on how such a toll would be enforced or collected remain unclear from the report.