Why allies aren't leaping to Trump's aid in Strait of Hormuz
CBC
U.S. President Donald Trump is struggling to persuade other nations to help protect commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — a development that analysts say is partly the result of treating allies with contempt since returning to the White House last year.
Iran has effectively shut down the narrow strait at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, threatening to strike any ship that attempts to pass without its approval.
That tactic has choked off nearly 20 per cent of the world's oil supply, sending the price of crude oil, gasoline and diesel soaring around the world.
Trump urged other nations over the weekend to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to clear a safe path for commercial sea traffic. But as one country after another declined to commit, Trump let his frustration show.
"They should be jumping to help us because we've helped them for years," Trump said Monday during an event at the White House.
Trump specifically said NATO countries should be helping, as well as China, Australia, Japan and South Korea — which he described as highly dependent on oil from the region.
He called on countries to "get involved quickly and with great enthusiasm," and while he claimed "a couple" were on board, he did not name them.
By Tuesday morning, when no nation had publicly committed to sending naval vessels, Trump lashed out and claimed not to need help anyway.
"I am not surprised by their action, however, because I always considered NATO, where we spend Hundreds of Billions of Dollars per year protecting these same Countries, to be a one way street — We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday.
"Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer 'need,' or desire, the NATO Countries’ assistance — WE NEVER DID! Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea," Trump said.
Less than 24 hours before the post, Trump had expressed surprise at the lack of assistance.
"There are some countries that greatly disappointed me," he said during an event at the White House on Monday afternoon. "What does surprise me is that they're not eager to help."
Analysts have been quick to point out that Trump shouldn't be surprised that allies are not "eager" to come to his aid, even if they feel the economic spillover effects of the war.
Leon Panetta, who served as U.S. secretary of defence and CIA director in the Obama administration, said Trump failed to lay the groundwork for an alliance that could help the U.S. against Iran when the going got tough.
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