Sometimes it takes a good friend to point you out when you make a mistake.
For Donald Trump, this friend is France, which has emphasized No The President of the United States has requested military support in his Middle East campaign.
President Donald Trump’s request for help in the Strait of Hormuz may not go as planned. /Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
(Saul Loeb)
The 79-year-old established diplomatic ties via Truth Social on Saturday, imploring America’s allies to intervene in the Strait of Hormuz. The sea route, the only sea route from the Persian Gulf to the high seas, is currently blocked by Iran following a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran.
As a result, about 20% of the world’s oil supply has stalled, which has led to rapid increases in the price of natural gas and jet fuel in the United States.
“Many countries, especially those affected by Iran’s attempts to close the Strait of Hormuz, will join the United States of America in sending warships to keep the Strait open and safe,” Trump wrote on The Truth Society on Saturday.
Trump claimed that Iranian forces had been destroyed and posed a major problem for U.S. troops. / truth society
“It is hoped that China, France, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom and other countries affected by this artificial restriction will send ships to the region so that the Strait of Hormuz no longer poses a threat,” he continued, appearing to be an implicit plea for help from U.S. allies.
French Response, the official X account of the French government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, quickly clarified that they would not be sending the ships Trump requested.
“No. This [French] The aircraft carrier strike group remains in the Eastern Mediterranean. France’s stance remains unchanged: defensive. Protective,” diplomatic media wrote. “Stop the alarmism. “
The official account of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied that the country would provide military support. /X
The account repeated the message to multiple posts on X, claiming that France would deploy warships to the Middle East.
Previously, Trump had issued a separate message calling for a coalition to help reopen the strait.
“Countries around the world that receive oil through the Strait of Hormuz must take care of this channel, and we will provide a lot of help!” he agreed.
“The United States will also coordinate with these countries to make everything smooth, fast and smooth. This was supposed to be a team effort, and now it will – it will bring the world together towards harmony, security and permanent peace!”
The Ministry of Defense said it was discussing “a range of options to ensure the safety of shipping in the area”.
Trump claimed that allies would help the United States open the strait. / truth society
The Financial Times previously reported that both France and Italy were seeking to negotiate a deal to guarantee the safe passage of ships from both countries through the strait, but Italy later denied the report.
Two French officials have also previously told Reuters that the country is working to build a coalition to allow European ships to pass through the strait, but information from France in response suggested that this may not include military activities.
Trump has published a series of posts in recent days suggesting that Iranian forces are both “totally destroyed” and have proven to be highly resilient, requiring sustained bombing to open vital sea lanes.
As the war enters its third week, shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has come to a virtual standstill. /Julian DeRosa/AFP/Getty Images
“Meanwhile, the United States will bomb our coastlines indiscriminately and shoot Iranian ships out of the water,” Trump wrote. “No matter what, we will soon make the Strait of Hormuz open, safe, and free!”
Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth told reporters on Friday that the Strait of Hormuz was effectively open to shipping, but the risk of bombing by Iranian forces was high.
“The only thing currently prohibiting transit in the strait is Iran shooting at ships. If Iran doesn’t do that, the strait will be open for transit,” Hegseth said.
Iranian military leaders have said they will continue to block shipping in the strait and pushed up oil prices, which have climbed to more than $200 a barrel. This is the most severe disruption to global oil supplies in history.
Although Iran’s historical supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the opening battle of the US-Israeli strike, his son Mojtaba Khamenei has since taken over and vowed to keep fighting.
On Friday, Trump announced that the United States had attacked more than 90 military targets on Kharg Island. Khag Island is a deepwater fuel terminal through which most of Iran’s oil flows, usually to its main buyer, China. Fuel infrastructure on the strategic island, considered critical to the regime’s finances, is reportedly intact.
Satellite images show an oil terminal on Kharg Island last month. Trump says he’s holding off on bombing oil infrastructure
However, Trump said on Saturday that the United States “may fight a few more times just for fun,” telling NBC that Tehran was ready to make a deal but that he would not accept it because “the terms are not good enough.”
Iran has downplayed the damage caused by the Khaq incident and is now targeting fuel ports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates.