US President Trump has appointed Ben Black, son of disgraced Apollo financier Leon Black, to lead the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) in a bid to secure shipping insurance for vessels traversing the volatile Strait of Hormuz. The DFC will provide insurance at a 'very reasonable price' for maritime trade through the Gulf, a move seen as a direct response to soaring insurance costs that have increased 12-fold since Iran's attack on Israel. Insurers and analysts question the feasibility and effectiveness of the programme in protecting vessels amid high attack risks. Ben Black, with a background in private equity and M&A, brings limited experience in international development aid, raising questions about his suitability for the role. This appointment underscores Trump's strategy of using the DFC to advance US security interests beyond its nominal mandate of aiding poorer nations.