Trump Faces Allied Resistance as He Seeks Support for Strait of Hormuz Security

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump expressed frustration Monday that U.S. Allies were not enthusiastic about sending warships to protect merchant vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a sign of Washington’s growing isolation as it tries to stabilize one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes amid its ongoing conflict with Iran.

Allied Hesitation and Economic Concerns

Trump declined to name the “numerous countries” he said had agreed to help reopen the oil route, which has come under the threat of retaliation from Iran, but voiced annoyance that most longtime allies were hesitant about joining his international effort. He stated they should be “jumping to help us.”

“Some countries that we have helped for many, many years, we’ve protected them from horrible outside sources and they weren’t that enthusiastic — and the level of enthusiasm, it matters to me,” Trump said at the White House.

Securing allies’ help is crucial for both domestic economic needs and international diplomacy. Since hostilities against Iran began on February 28, Tehran has retaliated by targeting regional oil facilities and at least 20 vessels operating in and around the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman. This has resulted in “the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market,” according to the International Energy Agency, causing international oil prices to surge more than 30% to over $100 a barrel as the conflict entered its third week.

Diplomatic Friction and Rejections of U.S. Demands

The diplomatic friction reflects the limits of Trump’s influence at a moment when the global economy is absorbing one of the worst oil supply shocks in modern history. This has prompted Trump to warn that countries refusing to help may find Washington a far less generous partner in the future.

Despite Trump’s demands, several key allies have publicly rebuffed his calls for support. French President Emmanuel Macron formally rejected the request, stating that France would maintain a “defensive and protective” posture focused on stability rather than escalation.

German Foreign Minister Boris Pistorius was more direct, saying, “This is not our war; we didn’t start it.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer as well declined to commit, saying the U.K. “will not be drawn into the wider war.” Italy, Spain, Australia, and Japan similarly declined, while South Korea and China have not publicly stated their intentions.

Conflicting Signals and NATO Concerns

The rejections appear to have only sharpened Trump’s demands. At one point, the president suggested he would share a list of nations that declined to help with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), hinting at potential retaliatory measures from Congress.

“Why are we protecting countries that don’t protect us?” Trump said.

However, Trump also sent conflicting signals about how much allied help he actually needs. He claimed the United States did not require assistance from other countries, stating, “We don’t need them, but it’s interesting — I am doing it, in some cases, not because we need them, but because I want to see how they react.”

Regarding the threat to merchant ships, Trump projected uncertainty, acknowledging the possibility of mines was “enough to keep people” from transiting the waterway, but adding, “we don’t even know” if Iran has placed any mines in the strait. “They may have no mines,” he said. “We hit every one of their mine ships. Every one of them is gone — but it only takes one.”

Mixed Messages and European Response

Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump also sent mixed messages about the threats and the need for help. He said the United States was coordinating with roughly seven countries to deploy naval forces to “police the straits” before adding, in the same remarks, that “maybe we shouldn’t even be there at all.”

He suggested American forces should not be there because other nations depend more heavily on oil shipments through the route, an about-face that drew criticism from allies, who said it created confusion about Washington’s strategy in a conflict the United States had itself started.

Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) expressed skepticism, stating in an NBC “Meet the Press” interview, “To keep the strait open, I have a highly hard time believing that China and the other countries the president enlisted are really going to be escorting ships through the strait. That just really doesn’t add up to me.”

Trump insisted Monday that “numerous countries have told me they are on their way,” but said he would “rather not say” who they are.

He then said the tepid responses from some U.S. Allies had reinforced his skepticism about the value of the NATO alliance, echoing comments he made over the weekend when he warned that a failure to assist would be “very bad for the future of NATO” and that the U.S. Would “remember” those who did not step up.

Europe has nonetheless been drawn deeper into the conflict. The U.K. Initially refused to support U.S. Military operations but softened its position after Trump mocked Starmer and called Britain a “once great ally.” France also said last week that it was preparing a separate “purely defensive” naval mission to escort commercial vessels through the strait once it was safe to do so.

Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said Monday after a meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels, “Nobody wants to proceed actively in this war. And of course, everybody is concerned what will be the outcome. This is not Europe’s war, but Europe’s interests are directly at stake.”