US President Donald Trump has again criticised Australia for not providing sufficient assistance in the Middle East, claiming the US “asked them to be there” despite Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles stating that no “specific request” was made. Trump made the remarks while leaving the White House on Thursday, telling reporters: “Well, I’m not happy with Australia because they were not there when we asked them to be there.” When pressed on what he had asked for, Trump referenced the Strait of Hormuz but did not elaborate.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded on Friday, saying there had been “no new requests at all” and that it was a question for the president. Marles told ABC Radio National that Australia had not received a specific request regarding the Strait of Hormuz, but noted that Australia was working with allies including the US, UK, and France. He emphasised the importance of reopening the crucial shipping channel and indicated Australia would contribute when circumstances allowed.
Trump has previously claimed that Australia, Japan, South Korea, and NATO allies had rejected US requests for help, and he dismissed their contributions in a social media post. In response, Marles declined to engage in a “running commentary” on Trump’s statements. Shadow Defence Minister James Paterson expressed concern over the contradiction between the Australian and US governments’ accounts.
Marles confirmed that Australia had deployed an E-7 Wedgetail surveillance aircraft to assist in the defence of Gulf states, specifically the UAE, in response to a request from the UAE. He argued that it was impossible for anyone to make specific requests regarding the Strait of Hormuz given the current uncertainty, but that Australia was involved in ongoing planning conversations with allies.
