U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media before boarding Air Force One bound for Florida at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., March 13, 2026.
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
US President Donald Trump on Sunday insisted that other countries should help the US secure the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that the vital shipping lane benefits them more than the US.
Trump told reporters on Air Force One that countries such as China, which have become increasingly dependent on oil shipments through the strait, should help keep it safe.
“I’m asking these countries to protect their territory because that’s their territory. That’s where they get their energy. And they should come and help us protect this territory,” Trump said.
“The Strait of Hormuz actually exists for China and many other countries, so why do we maintain it? Why don’t they maintain it?”
President Trump claimed that while about 90% of China’s crude oil imports pass through the strait, the United States relies on the strait for only “1%, 2%” of its oil. But analysts say the Chinese government has spent the past two decades diversifying energy supplies and building strategic reserves to mitigate potential disruptions.
Asked about President Trump’s comments on China and the Strait of Hormuz, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lin Jian on Monday reiterated Beijing’s position calling on all parties to immediately halt military operations and avoid further escalation of tensions to prevent instability in the region from further impacting the global economy, according to Xinhua News Agency.
Oil prices hovered around $100 per barrel on Monday, with US West Texas Intermediate futures trading at $99.32 per barrel and global benchmark Brent trading at $104.84.
Council on Foreign Relations Director Edward Fishman said the Trump administration did not consult with allies in Europe and Asia before launching military action against Iran.
Fishman told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” that these allies are far more dependent on oil imports from the Gulf than the United States, raising questions about whether they would expect concessions from the United States in return for aid.
“Remember, even though these countries are allies of the United States, they have been subject to very high tariffs by the Trump administration over the last year,” Fishman said Monday.
He added that if the tables were turned, Trump would likely demand something in return for the aid.
President Trump’s latest comments follow earlier remarks on Truth Social in which he asserted on Saturday that “many countries, especially those affected by Iran’s attempt to block the Strait of Hormuz, will work with the United States to send warships to keep the Strait open and secure.”
Whether I get support or not, I can say this, and I’ve said it to them too: We remember.
donald trump
president of the united states
There are no plans at the moment.
Several commercial ships sailing through the narrow strait have been damaged since the US and Israel attacked Iran last month.
No country has publicly announced plans to deploy warships in the strait. Notably, the U.S. Navy also does not escort ships through the waterway.
Reuters reported last week, citing three shipping industry officials familiar with the matter, that the U.S. Navy is refusing “almost daily” requests from the shipping industry to escort ships. The report says the risk of attack is too high at this point.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reportedly said on Monday that there were no plans to send naval ships to escort ships in the Middle East, while Australian Transport Minister Catherine King told the ABC in a radio interview that there were no plans to send ships from Canberra.
New Zealand’s Finance Minister Nicola Willis also told Squawk Box Asia that her country had not received such a request.
President Trump said Sunday that the U.S. is in talks with about seven countries, but he did not name them. He also criticized the NATO alliance.
“We’re always there for NATO. We’re helping them when it comes to Ukraine. There’s an ocean between us. It doesn’t affect us, but we’ve been helping them. And it will be interesting to see which countries won’t help us for a very small effort just to keep the straits open.”
President Trump also said that Iran has been defeated and has little firepower left. However, Iranian attacks in the region continue. Drone and missile attacks were reported in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and Israel on Monday, Asian Time.
Europe deliberates
Shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, which carries one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, has virtually stopped.
Several European countries, including France and the UK, are discussing plans to allow commercial shipping to resume in the strait.
The European Union is expected to discuss expanding the Aspides mission on Monday, but the talks do not include expanding operations into the Strait of Hormuz. Operation Aspides, established in 2024 to protect ships from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, currently has three naval units under its command.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kalas said on Monday that all member states would need to agree on expanding Operation Aspides, adding: “If a member state says we are not doing anything about this, then of course that is their decision, but we need to discuss how we can contribute to keeping the Strait of Hormuz open.”
Karas also said he had discussed with the United Nations the idea of replicating the Black Sea Initiative, which allowed grain exports from Ukraine during the war with Russia.
“It is in our interest to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, so we are also discussing what we can do on the European side in this regard,” he told reporters on Monday while attending a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
President Trump said on Sunday that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had offered to send an aircraft carrier to the region, and Trump said he should have sent an aircraft carrier “before we started a war[with Iran].”
Trump added: “Regardless of whether I get support or not, I can say this and I told them this. We will not forget.”
Mr Starmer told reporters on Monday that the Strait of Hormuz needed to be reopened to “ensure market stability”, but this was “not an easy task”.
“That’s why we are working with all our allies, including our European partners, to put together a workable joint plan that can restore freedom of navigation in the region as quickly as possible,” he told a news conference.
(COMBO) This combination of file photos created on March 3, 2026 shows U.S. President Donald Trump (left) speaking at a news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on February 20, 2026 in Washington, DC. On February 18, 2026, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (Republican) visits a railway depot in Cardiff, South Wales, and speaks during a question and answer session.
Matthew Horwood, Mandel Gunn | AFP | Getty Images
Mr Starmer hinted that the UK was ready to provide further support, but said the UK would seek to take “the necessary actions to protect ourselves and our allies” but that the UK would “not become drawn into a wider war”.
He warned that Britain wanted an early end to the conflict because “the longer it drags on, the more dangerous the situation becomes.”
Since the invasion of Ukraine, Europe has become increasingly concerned about energy supplies amid EU efforts to ban and phase out all oil and gas imports from neighboring Russia, and has a strong vested interest in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
“The Europeans themselves are the ones who mainly suffer from this EU decision. They have to pay more for gas,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told CNBC in emailed comments on Monday.
“They have always complained about their dependence on Russia. Now they are completely dependent on the United States. Let’s see what they like best,” he added.
