President Donald Trump has made the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz without restrictions a top priority, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Wednesday. Leavitt emphasized that the administration's immediate focus is on restoring unimpeded passage for oil tankers and other maritime traffic, explicitly noting that no limitations - whether in the form of tolls or otherwise - should be imposed.
Leavitt also said the United States observed an uptick in traffic through the Strait on Wednesday. When asked who is currently exercising control over the Strait of Hormuz, she declined to provide an answer.
The Strait of Hormuz is among the world's most important maritime choke points. Roughly 20% of seaborne crude oil and liquefied natural gas flows pass through the narrow waterway, underlining its strategic significance for global energy transport.
Against that backdrop, diplomatic activity that touches on authority over the strait has drawn attention. The article states that, amid ceasefire talks involving the United States and Israel, Tehran has sought to formalize control by proposing fees or tolls on vessels transiting the Strait. Separately on Wednesday, President Trump is reported to have suggested that the United States and Iran could collect tolls together, presenting that as a possible arrangement.
Leavitt's comments framed the administration's immediate objective as the removal of any limitations on passage, while other reported statements referenced potential arrangements for levying fees. The combination of rising traffic, public statements about toll proposals, and unanswered questions about control of the waterway leaves several practical and policy issues in view.
Context and implications
The statements recorded here outline contrasting positions: an explicit White House priority to eliminate transit restrictions, and reported proposals from Tehran to impose fees. The White House spokeswoman's refusal to say who controls the Strait highlights an acknowledged uncertainty about operational authority at the moment.