Trump announces 20% tax in the Strait of Hormuz, Lula: US is turning into a pirate state

President of the United States Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social network that the country will impose a 20% tariff on all goods transported through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic maritime route.

Trump also added that his administration plans to reimpose a blockade on Iranian ports in this strait. The funds collected from this tax, according to the American president, will be used to finance security operations and ensure that this vital maritime corridor remains open for navigation.

The reaction from Brazil was immediate. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva sharply criticized this initiative, calling it an action that would turn the United States into a “pirate” state.

During a speech at an event in the state of São Paulo, Lula stated: “A great country like the United States, which for a long time I believe has fought against piracy, now cannot turn itself into a pirate.”

On the other hand, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reacted with an ironic tone to Trump’s statement. He wrote on platform X that the American president “is absolutely right” that whoever guarantees the safety of commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz should be rewarded for this service, adding that Iran has been and will forever be the guardian of the strait. However, Araghchi called the 20% tariff “excessive” and promised that the Iranian side would be “fair.”