Geopolitics / 'We Don't Need Anybody': Trump Says US Can Secure Strait Of Hormuz Alone After Allies Decline Help
·2 weeks ago·3 min read
Key Points
President Trump said the US does not need allied assistance to secure the Strait of Hormuz after Germany, Spain, and Italy declined requests for naval support.
Washington, Mar 17: A day after urging allies to help reopen the war-hit Strait of Hormuz, which drew a limited response, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the United States did not require any assistance to secure the strategic waterway.
The strait has been under pressure from Iran since the outbreak of the West Asia conflict, disrupting global oil supplies and pushing crude prices sharply higher.
“We don’t need anybody. We’re the strongest nation in the world. We have the strongest military by far in the world,” Trump said, reiterating his criticism of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) members over their reluctance to support the US despite being part of a defence alliance.
Allies Decline US Call for Naval Support
Just days earlier, Trump had urged allied nations to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz. On Monday, he intensified the appeal, warning that a lack of support could have a “very bad future” for NATO as a unified defence alliance.
However, several key US allies, including Germany, Spain and Italy, said they had no immediate plans to send naval forces.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Berlin had not been consulted by Washington or Israel before the launch of the conflict and cited legal constraints under Germany’s Basic Law.
“We do not have approval from the United Nations, the European Union or NATO,” Merz said.
When asked about the response from allies, including France, Trump initially expressed optimism but reiterated that US operations would proceed independently.
“I don’t do a hard sell on them because my attitude is we don’t need anybody,” he said.
Also Read: Crude Oil Prices Jump Nearly 3% As Strait Of Hormuz Disruptions Fuel Supply Fears
Trump Questions Allies’ Commitment
Trump said his outreach was also intended to gauge the willingness of allies to support the US during crises.
“I’m almost doing it in some cases not because we need them, but because I want to find out how they react,” he said, adding that the US has long borne the cost of protecting its allies.
UK Response Draws Criticism
The US president also criticised the United Kingdom, claiming it had initially declined a request to deploy two aircraft carriers at the start of the conflict.
According to Trump, the UK later offered support after the conflict had largely subsided, an offer he said was no longer necessary.
“I needed it before the war,” Trump said, adding that he was “not happy” with the response.
Conflict Escalation in West Asia
The US, in coordination with Israel, launched a military campaign against Iran on February 28, targeting key military and administrative infrastructure.
The strikes reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with several senior officials, significantly impacting the country’s leadership.
Iran responded with missile and drone strikes on Israel and also targeted US bases and strategic interests across West Asia, expanding the conflict.
Strait of Hormuz Under Threat
Amid the escalation, Iran moved to shut the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil route through which nearly 20 per cent of the world’s supply passes.
Tehran also attacked more than 15 vessels attempting to pass through the waterway.
Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said the strait would remain closed, while the Iranian military warned that crude oil prices could rise to as high as $200 per barrel.
Divisions Among Allies Persist
Trump has repeatedly said the US Navy would escort commercial vessels through the strait and had called on allied nations to contribute naval support.
However, most allies have declined, underscoring divisions over involvement in the widening regional conflict.
The strait has been under pressure from Iran since the outbreak of the West Asia conflict, disrupting global oil supplies and pushing crude prices sharply higher.
“We don’t need anybody. We’re the strongest nation in the world. We have the strongest military by far in the world,” Trump said, reiterating his criticism of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) members over their reluctance to support the US despite being part of a defence alliance.
Allies Decline US Call for Naval Support
Just days earlier, Trump had urged allied nations to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz. On Monday, he intensified the appeal, warning that a lack of support could have a “very bad future” for NATO as a unified defence alliance.
However, several key US allies, including Germany, Spain and Italy, said they had no immediate plans to send naval forces.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Berlin had not been consulted by Washington or Israel before the launch of the conflict and cited legal constraints under Germany’s Basic Law.
“We do not have approval from the United Nations, the European Union or NATO,” Merz said.
When asked about the response from allies, including France, Trump initially expressed optimism but reiterated that US operations would proceed independently.
“I don’t do a hard sell on them because my attitude is we don’t need anybody,” he said.
Also Read: Crude Oil Prices Jump Nearly 3% As Strait Of Hormuz Disruptions Fuel Supply Fears
Trump Questions Allies’ Commitment
Trump said his outreach was also intended to gauge the willingness of allies to support the US during crises.
“I’m almost doing it in some cases not because we need them, but because I want to find out how they react,” he said, adding that the US has long borne the cost of protecting its allies.
UK Response Draws Criticism
The US president also criticised the United Kingdom, claiming it had initially declined a request to deploy two aircraft carriers at the start of the conflict.
According to Trump, the UK later offered support after the conflict had largely subsided, an offer he said was no longer necessary.
“I needed it before the war,” Trump said, adding that he was “not happy” with the response.
Conflict Escalation in West Asia
The US, in coordination with Israel, launched a military campaign against Iran on February 28, targeting key military and administrative infrastructure.
The strikes reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with several senior officials, significantly impacting the country’s leadership.
Iran responded with missile and drone strikes on Israel and also targeted US bases and strategic interests across West Asia, expanding the conflict.
Strait of Hormuz Under Threat
Amid the escalation, Iran moved to shut the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil route through which nearly 20 per cent of the world’s supply passes.
Tehran also attacked more than 15 vessels attempting to pass through the waterway.
Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said the strait would remain closed, while the Iranian military warned that crude oil prices could rise to as high as $200 per barrel.
Divisions Among Allies Persist
Trump has repeatedly said the US Navy would escort commercial vessels through the strait and had called on allied nations to contribute naval support.
However, most allies have declined, underscoring divisions over involvement in the widening regional conflict.
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