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| US President Donald Trump has demanded that the Gulf states and Israel pay financial compensation |
US President Donald Trump has demanded that the Gulf states and Israel pay financial compensation to the United States in exchange for "protecting them from Iranian threats," securing vital waterways, and guarding the Strait of Hormuz.
In response to a question about who would specifically compensate the United States after he stated that America would "be paid for protecting" the Strait of Hormuz, Trump directed his message explicitly to the Gulf capitals: "For example, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait," and "Israel."
Trump added: "We spend a lot of money on these rich countries, and therefore we will receive compensation for this protection from the countries we help protect. Look at these five countries. This region is a very rich part of the world."
Trump focused his remarks on the military and strategic aspects, noting that the United States "will get paid for guarding the Strait of Hormuz," referring to the vital waterway through which a large portion of the world's oil supply passes.
When asked by a media outlet who specifically would pay these costs to the United States after he confirmed that America would "charge for protection," Trump did not specify the payment mechanisms, but he left the door open by mentioning the five countries in the region.
Earlier, Trump said that "the United States will likely control the Strait of Hormuz, and that it should be compensated for managing this important waterway."
He added in an interview on Fox News: "We will control the strait, and perhaps we will manage it. We will become the guardians of the strait. Perhaps we will be called the guardian angel of the strait. And we should be compensated for that."
This statement revives the debate over the "protection deal" approach adopted by Trump during his previous presidential term, which links the American military presence in the region to regional allies bearing a greater financial burden.
