President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at the White House on April 6, 2026 in Washington.
Kyle Mazza | Anadolu | Getty Images
President Donald Trump said Thursday that if Iran is going to charge fees for oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz, “it better stop now.”
President Trump’s warning in a Truth social post further strained the fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran less than two days after it began.
President Trump said Tuesday night that the United States would agree to suspend hostilities against the Islamic Republic for two weeks in exchange for agreeing to “the full, immediate and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz.”
But shipping traffic through the strait, a key artery for about 20% of the world’s oil supplies, has remained severely restricted since the war began on February 28.
Meanwhile, Iran plans to charge shipping companies a fee, paid in virtual currency, to allow ships to navigate its waterways, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.
“There are reports that Iran is charging tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump said in a post Thursday.
“You better not do that, and if you do, you better stop now!” he wrote.
In a later post, Trump said, “Because of me, Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, and with or without Iranian aid, the oil will start flowing soon, and to me it makes no difference either way.”
President Trump’s post also slammed the Wall Street Journal editorial board, which wrote that the president prematurely declared victory over Iran. “In fact, it’s a win and there’s nothing ‘too early’ about it! ” he wrote.
