Trump urges allies to send ships to Strait of Hormuz
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- Trump called on the UK, China, France, Japan, South Korea, and other countries to send ships to the Strait of Hormuz, the world's busiest shipping route.
- Iran has effectively blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, prompting the U.S. appeal for international naval support.
- European countries have resisted Trump's demand for help clearing the waterway.
- The European resistance is rooted in reluctance to be dragged into the escalating U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, as reported on March 16, 2026.
Why it matters: European refusal to send ships to the Strait of Hormuz — driven by reluctance to join the escalating U.S.-Israeli war on Iran — leaves Trump without the allied naval coalition he sought, complicating any effort to break Iran's blockade of the world's busiest shipping route.
