US PRESIDENT Donald Trump warned NATO of a 鈥渧ery bad鈥 future if allies do not help open up the Strait of Hormuz and said he may also delay a planned summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, in comments published by the Financial Times on Sunday.
“I think China should help too because China gets 90% of its oil from the Straits,” Mr. Trump told the newspaper, adding he would prefer to know Beijing鈥檚 position before the planned visit.
鈥淲e may delay,鈥 he said of the trip.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng wrapped up the first of two days of talks in Paris on Sunday to iron out kinks in their trade truce and clear a path for Trump’s trip to Beijing to meet with Xi at the end of March.
The US president said countries that benefit from the shipping route should help secure it.
鈥淚t鈥檚 only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the Strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there,鈥 he told the FT.
Mr. Trump on Saturday called on nations to send warships to keep the narrow waterway open for shipping as Iranian forces continue attacks following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, saying he hoped countries including China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain would send ships to the area.
When asked to specify the assistance he wanted, Mr. Trump told the FT that it could include minesweepers and other military assets to counter drones and naval mines.
“We鈥檙e hitting them very hard,” Mr. Trump said of Iranian forces, according to the FT. “They’ve got nothing left but to make a little trouble in the Strait 鈥 these people are beneficiaries and they ought to help us police it.”
Iran effectively shut the strait after the United States and Israel launched attacks against it more than two weeks ago. About a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage of water between Iran and Oman.
Mr. Trump also warned Washington could launch further strikes on Kharg Island, Iran鈥檚 main oil export hub, saying US forces could target its oil infrastructure if needed.
鈥淲e can hit that in five minutes,” he said. “And there鈥檚 not a thing they can do about it.鈥
Mr. Trump also criticized Britain鈥檚 response after speaking with Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“The UK might be considered the number one ally鈥 and when I asked for them to come, they didn鈥檛 want to come,” Mr. Trump told the Financial Times, adding that Britain only offered to send ships after the US had already reduced Iran鈥檚 military capabilities.
The White House and the Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. 鈥 Reuters
