Donald Trump has drawn criticism for suggesting that US efforts to protect the Strait of Hormuz may be unnecessary, while simultaneously demanding that European and Nato allies contribute to securing the waterway. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, the president said: “You could make the case that maybe we shouldn’t even be there at all, because we don’t need it. We have a lot of oil.”
However, Trump also warned that Nato faces a “very bad” future if it does not assist the US in protecting the strait from Iranian attacks. His comments came as Australia, France and Japan indicated they have no plans to send warships. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he is working on a “viable plan” but insisted Britain would not be drawn into a wider war.
The president’s mixed messages follow US strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island oil hub, which Trump claimed had been “totally demolished”. The attacks have driven up oil prices, with Brent crude rising 1.8% to $104.98 per barrel amid mounting supply fears. Trump insisted that only military targets had been hit, but the decision to strike Kharg has rattled global markets.
Domestically, the ongoing shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security meant Transportation Security Administration employees missed their first full paycheck over the weekend. Long lines were reported at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, with security queues snaking outside the terminal early Monday morning.
Trump is scheduled to host a news conference later on Monday before a lunch meeting with Kennedy Center board members.
