President Donald Trump just got a "quiet but unmistakable" message from U.S. allies over his troubles in Iran.
Trump has called on U.S. allies to help clear the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran effectively shut off to American and Israeli ships in retaliation for the bombing strikes the two countries have carried out since late February. The Strait accounts for 20% of global oil trade, and the blockade is part of the reason why energy prices in the U.S. have reached levels not seen since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Not a single U.S. ally has stepped up to help the Trump administration, according to reports. Swaran Singh, professor of diplomacy and disarmament at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, wrote in a new op-ed for Asia Times that Trump has created a "coalition of the unwilling" with his move to bomb Iran, and that could leave the U.S. more isolated in the future.
"This explains the emerging consensus — quiet but unmistakable — in favor of an early ceasefire and against further militarization of this crisis," Singh wrote, noting that 135 countries at the U.N. voted on a resolution to support ending the war in Iran. "Understandably, most nations are not ready to confront Trump, but neither have they endorsed his approach. It is a delicate balancing act: strategic ambiguity as a form of dissent. This silent ambiguity can translate into American isolation."
"A U.S. capable of launching strikes is unable to rally allies; it’s a superpower that commands attention, but not alignment," he added. "Trump’s continued escalation, despite the lack of broad international support, risks deepening this isolation further."
