Nobody should have been even mildly surprised that Trump wanted to charge a fee for entering/exiting the Strait of Hormuz. Another grift. He still wants Panama to "give back" the Canal to the U.S. so he can do the same thing there. It's like owning the tolls on superhighways.
Next, my guess is that Trump received a few phonecalls overnight. And they all referenced GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade). The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade is a legal agreement between many countries, whose overall purpose was to promote international trade by reducing or eliminating trade barriers such as tariffs or quotas. According to its preamble, its purpose was the "substantial reduction of tariffs and other trade barriers and the elimination of preferences, on a reciprocal and mutually advantageous basis".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Agreement_on_Tariffs_and_Trade
And the WTO (World Trade Organization). The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental organization that regulates and facilitates international trade. Established on 1 January 1995, pursuant to the 1994 Marrakesh Agreement, it succeeded the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which was created in 1948. As the world's largest international economic organization, the WTO has 166 members, representing over 98% of global trade and global GDP. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Organization
One country is not permitted to charge access to international waters, which the Strait of Hormuz is.
Now, Trump likely argued, "But Iran's going to do it! Why can't we?"
Iran says it's going to, but hasn't and may not even be a signatory to WTO. *
This had to be explained to Trump several times before he both understood it and accepted it.
* AI speaketh: No, Iran is not a signatory or full member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). It currently holds observer status and is in the process of attempting to negotiate accession
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