US President Donald Trump is struggling to persuade other nations to help protect commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz – a development analysts say is partly the result of the allies’ mistreatment since returning to the White House last year.
Iran has effectively closed the narrow channel that enters the mouth of the Persian Gulf, threatening to attack any ship that tries to pass without its permission.
That strategy has choked off nearly 20 percent of the world’s oil supply, driving up the price of crude oil, gasoline and diesel worldwide.
Trump urged other nations over the weekend to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to open up a safe passage for maritime trade. But as each country refused to commit, Trump let his frustration show.
“They should jump in and help us because we’ve been helping them for years,” Trump said Monday during an event at the White House.
Trump said that NATO countries in particular should be helping, as well as China, Japan and South Korea – which he described as heavily dependent on oil from the region.
Despite US President Donald Trump saying it would damage the alliance, none of the major NATO countries stepped in to help after Trump asked for help to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
He urged countries to “participate quickly and with great enthusiasm,” and although he said there were “couples” on board, he did not name them. As of Monday night, no one had publicly committed to sending the ships.
“There are countries that have really disappointed me,” Trump said during a separate event at the White House on Monday afternoon. “What surprises me is that they are not willing to help.”
The president is ‘playing catch up’
Analysts were quick to point out that Trump should not be surprised that his allies are “unwilling” to help him, even if they feel the effects of the economic war.
Leon Panetta, who served as US defense secretary and CIA director in the Obama administration, said that Trump failed to lay the foundation for a coalition that could help the US against Iran if the situation is difficult.
“Now in many ways, he’s got a gun to his head because of the rise in oil prices and the damage it’s doing,” Panetta told the CBC News Network on Monday.
“The problem is the president’s game, and that’s not an easy game when you’re in the middle of a war.”
US President Donald Trump is asking NATO allies for help in the Strait of Hormuz. Former US defense secretary and CIA director Leon Panetta says the closure of the strait should have been expected, and Iran is unlikely to agree to a ceasefire as long as it is in control.
Panetta said the US would need to weaken Iran’s ability to attack ships through the strait and lead by sending destroyers before the allies would be willing to send their ships.
“Iran will not accept a ceasefire as long as it controls the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
NATO countries are reluctant to get involved
Wendy Gilmour, former NATO assistant secretary-general for defense investment, said many countries may be reluctant to join the US-led alliance and become rivals in conflicts with Iran.
“NATO allies in particular, they’re going to be incredibly careful before they get behind the United States,” Gilmour told CBC News on Monday.
“The US and Israel started a war of their own choosing by attacking Iran. The outcome of that does not seem to have been well thought out.”
Jim Townsend, former deputy secretary of defense in the United States for European and NATO policy, said that although it is in Europe’s economic interests to keep traffic flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, many countries are “angry” about the way Trump has treated them.
“There are not many good feelings [from European countries] toward the United States right now, especially because they weren’t part of the process before this war,” Townsend told CNN on Monday.
It seems that Trump’s vague threats of consequences are failing to convince foreign leaders to heed his call for help.
Over the weekend, Trump told the Financial Times that NATO faces a “very dire future” if members do not help it.
Greg Bagwell, a former commander of the Royal Air Force who is now a senior fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a UK defense and security think tank, said countries must weigh the risks of any consequences Trump might risk of being an Iranian target.
“Trump’s attempt to cajole or bully other nations into committing warships is becoming desperate, yet there is little to encourage participation,” Bagwell wrote in a series of posts on X.
“It’s hard to see why there would be any benefit to accepting Trump’s offer,” he said.
As Iran escalates attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, the US says it hopes to be able to get the ships moving again. Nationally, CBC’s Lyndsay Duncombe explains why reopening the vital waterway won’t be as easy, quick or safe as the White House wants.
Trump appeared to recognize — at least implicitly — that his plea for help against Iran may be futile by contradicting himself on the issue several times during remarks Monday at the White House.
Although he emphasized that countries must participate, he also said: “We don’t need anyone. We are the strongest nation in the world. We have the strongest military in the world. We don’t need them.”
Likewise, he asked for help in securing the border while downplaying the Iranian military threat. “We are increasing their power by threatening commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” he said. “They were literally destroyed.”
Trump said he “predicted a long time ago” that Iran would block shipping in the crisis, yet he did not seek help from allies in advance to keep the path open.
Finally, Trump said the Iranian regime wants to “make a deal” and is “talking to our people.” But he also said the US “doesn’t know” who is in charge in Tehran. “We don’t know their leaders,” he said. “We don’t know who we are dealing with.”
Democratic Rep. Don Beyer criticized Trump for fighting Iran abroad building a “loyal alliance” of support.
“The Trump White House has been insulting and alienating our allies, including with unfair taxes,” Beyer said on the X site. “Now, they want those same allies to bail them out of the power crisis they’ve created for themselves. The failure is completely self-inflicted.”
