Posting on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump called on South Korea, the United Kingdom, France, Japan and China — along with other countries dependent on the strait’s oil flows — to dispatch warships to help restore shipping traffic through the narrow waterway.
The appeal came after Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for U.S. and Israeli airstrikes, triggering what analysts describe as one of the largest disruptions to global oil supplies in modern history.
The request underscores both the strategic importance of the strait and the growing costs facing Washington as the war with Tehran stretches into its third week, with potentially severe consequences for the global and U.S. economies.
For Trump, the logic behind the request appears straightforward: the countries he named include some of the world’s largest naval powers and major beneficiaries of open sea lanes.
“The countries named are the leading naval powers after the United States and among the major beneficiaries of open sea lanes,” said Harvey M. Sapolsky of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
“Expecting the United States to be the sole protector of the international economy is unrealistic.”
Some analysts say Trump’s reasoning is consistent with his business-minded approach to geopolitical and diplomatic issues, emphasizing burden-sharing and clear responsibilities.
“If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response, I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO,” Trump told the Financial Times on Sunday.
In the interview, Trump also suggested that China should send warships to help secure the Gulf and warned that he could postpone a summit scheduled for early April in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping if China did not comply.
According to See Seng Tan of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University, Washington may be acknowledging that the war will require broader international support.
“The United States seems to have come to the realization that its conflict with Iran will require more assistance and resources than Washington anticipated,” Tan said.
“These countries are all major users of the Strait of Hormuz, so keeping it open serves their interests as well.”
Alan Chong Chia Siong, also of Nanyang Technological University, said the U.S. president may be probing what he sees as a group of “new strategic friends” outside traditional alliance structures.
By inviting them to participate in a multinational naval patrol, Chong said, Washington could demonstrate that global coordination can function without relying on the United Nations — a possible explanation for Trump’s warning that “we will remember” which countries respond.
Still, many analysts remain skeptical of the coalition idea, noting that it could draw third countries directly into the conflict and potentially widen the war.
The Strait of Hormuz is now effectively an active war zone, where Iranian forces have threatened attacks on vessels linked to the United States or Israel. Deploying naval escorts could significantly increase the risk of confrontation.
“Operating in these waters is extremely risky at present,” said Yang Zi of Nanyang Technological University.
Any country sending warships, he said, must assume a high probability of clashes with Iranian forces.
Legal experts also point to significant international law questions.
Mara Revkin of Duke University School of Law noted that economic interests alone do not justify the use of military force under the UN Charter.
Article 2(4) of the charter prohibits the use of force against other states except in cases of self-defense or when authorized by the UN Security Council.
While escorting commercial ships through international waters is generally lawful, Revkin said the situation becomes far more complicated in an active war zone.
“Any naval deployment by a third-party state — even if intended to protect commercial shipping — could risk being perceived by Iran as entering the conflict,” she said.
Beyond the immediate question of naval escorts lies a broader uncertainty: how the war itself will unfold.
Many analysts believe the conflict could become prolonged. Iran, they argue, is likely to continue exerting pressure on the Strait of Hormuz as leverage in future negotiations.
Barry R. Posen of MIT predicts that the war could ultimately end with both sides claiming victory, even if Iran’s military infrastructure suffers heavy damage.
Washington may also have underestimated Iran’s resilience, said Paul Michael Hedges of Nanyang Technological University, noting that Tehran has remained defiant even after the killing of its longtime leader.
If maritime disruptions continue, the United States could face mounting pressure to deploy ground forces to secure key areas around the Persian Gulf — an escalation that risks turning the conflict into a prolonged and politically costly war.
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