Frustrated with Iran's Closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Trump Seeks China's Assistance and Warns NATO
Donald Trump has begun expressing frustration with Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has caused global oil prices to spike significantly. Trump has requested assistance from his allies to help reopen Hormuz, but the request appears to have fallen on deaf ears, with no confirmation from allies including Britain and France.
Undeterred, Trump has levelled threats against NATO allies, warning that they face a dire future if they refuse to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. In an interview with the Financial Times on Sunday, the US President stated that he could also delay his summit meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled for later this month, having requested Beijing’s assistance in helping to open the blockade of this critical waterway.
“It would be entirely appropriate if those who benefit from the Strait help ensure nothing bad happens there,” Trump said, arguing that Europe and China are heavily dependent on oil from the Gulf, unlike the United States.
“If there is no response or if the response is negative, I think that will be very bad for NATO’s future,” he warned.
Trump’s comments, made during an eight-minute telephone conversation with the Financial Times, came a day after he requested China, France, Japan, South Korea, and Britain to join efforts to reopen the narrow waterway through which one-fifth of global oil passes.
Iran effectively closed the Strait following the launch of war between the United States and Israel more than two weeks ago. The closure has sparked concerns about new oil price shocks for the global economy.
US efforts to reopen the waterway have largely failed. International oil prices reached $106 per barrel on Sunday evening, up approximately 45 per cent since the outbreak of war.
Despite issuing warnings, Trump is pessimistic that US allies will heed his request for assistance.
“We have something called NATO,” said Trump, who has frequently criticised the alliance. “We have done very well. We do not have to help them with Ukraine. Ukraine is thousands of miles away from us… But we help them. Now we will see if they help us. Because I have long said that we will be there for them but they will not be there for us. And I am not sure they will be there.”
Expecting China’s assistance