Trapped in an Endless War: Trump Faces Backlash Over Toll Demands and Threats to Strike Underground Facilities

The New York Times reported that U.S. President Donald Trump has become trapped in an endless war after the ceasefire with Iran collapsed less than a month after the signing of a memorandum of understanding to end hostilities.

During a radio appearance on the 13th (local time), President Trump dismissed the memorandum of understanding with Iran as having no real meaning, yet failed to offer any new plan to resolve the situation.

Instead, Trump sparked global controversy by threatening via social media and other channels to impose a 20 percent safety fee on cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

While he explained that he is seeking compensation because the U.S. is protecting the very wealthy Middle East region, The New York Times pointed out that this directly contradicts the Trump administration's own principle that imposing tolls on international waterways is illegal.

Consequently, Iran, which had consistently demanded the imposition of tolls in the Strait of Hormuz, mocked President Trump by stating, "That is entirely correct," and adding that they would "handle the tolls fairly."

Robert Kagan, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, also criticized the move in The New York Times, stating that the U.S. has undermined the international legal legitimacy it could have otherwise claimed.

With both missile strikes and diplomatic negotiations effectively failing, The New York Times assessed that President Trump is currently unable to devise a clear exit strategy.

In this climate, tensions in the Middle East are spiraling out of control as Trump has even hinted at striking Iran's underground fortress, known as Pickaxe Mountain.

Pickaxe Mountain, located near Iran's Natanz uranium enrichment facility, is suspected by the U.S. to be a site where Iran is constructing an undeclared enrichment facility.

With even allies turning their backs, analysts suggest that President Trump is caught in a dilemma, left only with risky military operations and unjustified demands for tolls.

Reported by Lee Hyeon-yeong | Video by Hong Jin-young | Graphics by Lee Soo-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.