Trump struggles to build coalition to reopen Strait of Hormuz
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A naval vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on March 1. Photo: Al Attar/AFP via Getty
U.S. allies are resisting the Trump administration's pressure to join an international coalition to reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz.
- While the U.K. has circulated a plan among potential coalition members, responses from several other countries have ranged from skepticism to "hell no," according to sources familiar with the diplomatic talks.
Why it matters: The strait closure has become the main crisis in the war for the White House. As long as the Iranian blockade holds and Gulf oil remains trapped, Trump can't end the war and declare victory even if he wants to.
State of play: The White House is trying both military and diplomatic means to unlock the crisis.
- The U.S. military is conducting strikes on Iranian anti-ship positions along the shores of the Strait of Hormuz to decimate Iran's ability to attack oil tankers.
- Meanwhile, the White House and State Department are trying to build a coalition of countries to provide ships, other military assets and political backing for a mission to escort ships or otherwise provide a secure route for shipping in and out of the Gulf.
Zoom in: A source with knowledge said the Trump administration wants the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada, the Gulf countries and Jordan to be part of the coalition. The U.S. has also approached Japan and South Korea.
- But the leaders of countries including Germany, Italy and Japan have already ruled out sending naval vessels.
- Trump spoke on Sunday with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron about joining the coalition.
- Trump said Macron was "8 out of 10" in terms of willingness to help. He also said the U.K. would join.
- But a source with knowledge said that while Starmer was forward-leaning, Macron was noncommittal. "Macron didn't give a final no, but at the moment it's a no," a second source said.
Behind the scenes: The U.K. has drafted a plan for how a multinational task force could be constructed and shared it with the U.S. and several other countries, two sources said.
- But the U.K. draft hasn't been shared with all the countries Trump has asked to join, and any consensus about how the coalition would work appears a ways off.
- "It's a mess. A lot of people are confused," a European diplomat said.
- European foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said after a meeting with foreign ministers of the 27 member states that "there is no appetite" in the EU to join Trump's Hormuz coalition. "This is not Europe's war," she said.
Driving the news: Trump told reporters on Monday that he was "greatly disappointed" in some countries that were skeptical of partnering with the U.S. to open the strait.
- "[Leaders] in some countries that we've helped for many, many years, we've protected them from horrible outside sources, and they weren't that enthusiastic," Trump said, including countries that host large numbers of U.S. troops.
- Trump has argued that countries in Asia and Europe that are dependent on Gulf oil should be rushing in to help, and told the FT it would be "very bad" for NATO's future if allies don't step up.
Between the lines: Trump has fueled tensions with many of the same allies he's now calling upon over a year of tariffs, insults and threats.
- Many U.S. allies were also skeptical of Trump's case for war with Iran.
- But they will face steep consequences if oil and other goods like semiconductors can't traverse the strait.
Go deeper... Scoop: Witkoff to brief bipartisan group of senators Tuesday on Iran
