Trump promised an international armada, but many of our allies have denied Trump’s request, leaving the president fuming after having provided “protection” for these countries for decades.
One thing Donald Trump does not like is being embarrassed, and after our NATO allies have declined to offer help keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, the media has been on the attack.
After having contributed more than any other country to NATO for decades, one even dared to say, “This is not Europe’s war.”
Historically, the United States has been the top contributor to NATO, accounting for about 16% of all direct funding (via Reuters), a number that hit 28% in 1977.
Trump clearly thought that contribution, not to mention the assets we have in place around the world to help protect these nations, would create some loyalty when called upon.
After Iran started attacking ships in the area, resulting in a blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, Trump posted to Truth Social, "Many Countries, especially those who are affected by Iran's attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending War Ships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe.”
It was made to sound as though this was already a work in progress, and based on reports at the time, even we had reported that help was on the way. We were wrong, and Trump, as it turns out, has been completely defied. It started with a proclamation by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer denying that the UK would enter the conflict, only stating that it was working on a possible plan.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has been likened to Trump by some in the media, and she and Trump appear to have a good relationship, or at least they did. Yet, Meloni has stated she has no plans for Italy to get directly involved. According to Breitbart, she has stated, “Taking action objectively means taking a step forward in terms of engagement. We are working toward de-escalation—that is, to ensure that the war can end and diplomacy can resume.” Diplomacy… with terrorists.
The European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, responded similarly when she was asked about sending help to the Strait, reported Breitbart. Only she was far more direct. Kallas stated, “This is not Europe’s war, but Europe’s interests are directly at stake. As this war expands, the EU’s priority remains the protection of our citizens.”
Not their war. Well, Ukraine was not the United States’ war, but every NATO ally has called upon the United States to carry the lion’s share of the burden for a country that is not even part of NATO. We did it, unhesitatingly, and this is how we are being paid back when we ring the bell.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius was even more snide when declining to offer any help. Pistorius stated, “This is not our war. We have not started it. What does … Trump expect a handful or two handfuls of European frigates to do in the Strait of Hormuz that the powerful US Navy cannot do," reported AlJazeera.
Trump had stated that when he talked to President Emmanuel Macron, he was an “8 out of 10,” yet Macron, when asked about helping the United States secure the Strait, according to The Kathmandu Post, responded, “We are not party to the conflict and therefore France will never take part in operations to open or liberate the Strait of Hormuz in the current context.” Macron would only commit “to assume responsibility for the escort system” once all the bombing has stopped.
Trump has also been turned down by Australia and Japan. Australian Transport Minister Catherine King told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that providing naval assistance “is not among the contributions that Australia is planning at the moment.” But at least they have provided some air support and missiles.
Japan has also stated that it has no plans to deploy ships to the area. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, during a recent Upper House Budget Committee meeting, according to The Japan Times, stated, “No decision has been made whatsoever regarding the dispatch of escort vessels.”
The UK, Italy, France, Germany, Japan, and Australia… every country has told Trump no. A show of strength here would have done wonders to show Iran that the world is against it. As it turns out, we just found out the world is against us.
This is not some rogue operation, but one to ensure that a terrorist nation does not develop long-range missiles or create a nuclear weapon. This is a mission to keep the world safe from terrorism. And nobody wants to help. Every major ally has declined to respond to Trump’s call for assistance. Just file that away after you allow it to sink in for a bit. Trump surely has, stating, "Whether we get support or not, I can say this, and I said it to them: We will remember."
