President Donald Trump floated a startling plan Wednesday in the hopes of forcing the United States’ “non-responsive allies” to provide military assistance in his administration’s war against Iran.
Trump has reacted angrily at the NATO countries in recent days after his repeated calls for military assistance had been either ignored or outright rejected. After being attacked by both the United States and Israel, Iranian leadership has vowed to respond aggressively to any sea vessels aligned with either of the two countries attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route through which 20% of the world’s oil trade flows.
In an apparent attempt to force NATO countries’ hands, Trump revealed a new plan on Wednesday in a post on Truth Social.
“I wonder what would happen if we ‘finished off’ what’s left of the Iranian Terror State, and let the Countries that use it, we don’t, be responsible for the so called ‘Straight?’” Trump wrote, potentially misspelling "strait." “That would get some of our non-responsive ‘Allies’ in gear, and fast!!!”
Trump’s social media post marks the first time the president has floated the idea of facilitating other countries to effectively take control of the Strait of Hormuz. Whether the proposal convinces U.S. allies to join the Trump administration’s war effort remains to be seen.