The Iran War is developing in surprising ways. Recently, President Trump announced a plan to impose a 20 percent toll for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, which he rescinded the next day. This move was quickly criticized as a violation of international law by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Instead of tolls, Trump proposed accepting financial investments from the Gulf States. While legally permissible, this goes against a long-standing U.S. principle. The United States has historically been committed to maintaining freedom of navigation, a principle able to be traced back to the early formation of its military branches.
The U.S. Navy’s mission includes keeping the seas open. This mission has historical roots dating back to the Barbary Wars. Extortion by Barbary pirates led President George Washington to establish the U.S. Navy officially in 1794 to ensure free navigation.
Initially, Washington and John Adams tried to resolve the issue through diplomacy but still paid tribute. However, Thomas Jefferson refused these payments and instead sent a small fleet, which culminated in the battle famously mentioned in the Marine Corps Hymn.
Maritime freedom has also guided U.S. policies through two world wars. President Woodrow Wilson’s 14 points in 1918 emphasized freedom upon the seas, a stance echoed in World War II by Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill in the Atlantic Charter. It further influenced Eisenhower’s response during the 1956 Suez Canal Crisis.
Trump’s proposal to accept investments from Gulf States as a substitute for tolls resembles historical tribute demands from opponents like the Barbary pirates. It challenges America’s long-standing commitment to freedom of navigation and raises questions about national identity and values.
Michael Szalma, a retired U.S. Army officer now teaching history, emphasizes that America’s tradition has been to safeguard freedom of navigation without resorting to tribute collection. Whether through tolls or investments, such practices conflict with America’s historical mission.