Donald Trump Urges China, UK, and Other Nations To Send Ships To Secure Strait of Hormuz
US President Donald Trump on Saturday, March 14, issued a direct call to international partners, urging nations affected by the ongoing West Asia conflict to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz. Trump specifically named China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom as countries that should contribute naval assets to protect their own energy interests from what he described as an 'artificial constraint' on global trade.
New York, March 14: US President Donald Trump on Saturday, March 14, issued a direct call to international partners, urging nations affected by the ongoing West Asia conflict to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz. In a series of statements on Truth Social, Donald Trump asserted that a global coalition is forming to reopen the critical maritime chokepoint, which has been effectively paralysed by Iranian strikes since early March. Trump specifically named China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom as countries that should contribute naval assets to protect their own energy interests from what he described as an "artificial constraint" on global trade.
The President’s push for an international fleet comes as the US prepares to launch its own naval escort missions "very soon" to restore the flow of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG). While Trump claimed that 100% of Iran’s military capability has been destroyed by recent US and Israeli air raids, he conceded that the threat of asymmetric attacks, including drones, sea mines, and short-range missiles, remains a persistent danger to commercial shipping. The Strait, which is only 34 miles wide at its narrowest point, carries roughly 20% of the world's petroleum and nearly a quarter of global LNG supplies. Strait of Hormuz Crisis: US Deploys 2,500 Marines to Middle East Amid Rising Iran Tensions.
Donald Trump Urges China, UK, and Other Nations To Send Ships To Secure Strait of Hormuz
President Trump emphasised that the burden of securing the Strait should not fall solely on the United States. He noted that the nations most dependent on Gulf oil are those in Europe and Asia, arguing that they must participate in "conjunction with the United States" to keep the waterway open, safe, and free.
"Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others... will send Ships to the area," Trump wrote. He warned that until the route is fully secured, the US military will continue "bombing the hell out of the shoreline" and targeting any Iranian vessels that interfere with maritime traffic. Strait of Hormuz Tension: More Indian LPG Tankers Set to Cross After Iran Allows Safe Passage to Indian-Flagged Vessels.
The maritime gridlock began following joint US.-Israeli strikes on February 28, which targeted Iranian military installations and led to a blockade of the Strait. In the two weeks since, global oil prices have surged, with Brent crude settling above USD 100 per barrel on Monday.
The blockade has severely impacted humanitarian operations and global energy markets. While the US has released 172 million barrels from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), analysts warn that these measures only partially offset the massive disruption caused by the closure of the world’s most important oil chokepoint.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that more than 90 Iranian military targets on Kharg Island were struck in recent precision raids. These strikes were designed to "prepare the battlefield" by neutralising Iran’s ability to launch anti-ship missiles or lay mines. Despite these gains, Energy Secretary Christopher Wright indicated that full-scale naval escorts may not begin until the end of March.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 14, 2026 08:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).