Trump calls on nations to send ships for Hormuz security

Select Language:

US President Donald Trump addresses the media prior to boarding Air Force One bound for Florida, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on March 13, 2026. — Reuters

The US threatens to repeatedly bomb the shoreline and destroy Iranian boats.
Trump indicates that international partners including China, the UK, and Japan could join in the effort.

Maritime traffic remains halted as global oil prices surge sharply.

On Saturday, President Donald Trump urged other countries to send naval ships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for the world’s oil supply, which has been disrupted by conflict in the Middle East.

Trump, who announced that the U.S. will soon escort tankers through the strait, posted on Truth Social that “Many nations, especially those impacted by Iran’s efforts to close the Hormuz Strait, will be dispatching warships alongside the United States to keep the channel open and protected.”

He further added: “I hope China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others affected by this artificial blockade will send ships to this area.”

Iranian strikes have nearly halted maritime traffic through the strait, which normally sees a fifth of the world’s crude oil and natural gas pass via its waters. The narrowest point of the strait measures just 34 miles (54 kilometers).

With oil prices rising sharply, Trump was asked on Friday when the U.S. Navy would start escorting oil tankers through the Hormuz Strait. His response: “It will happen soon, very soon.”

In his Saturday post, Trump claimed that Iran’s military capabilities had been completely neutralized, but acknowledged that they can still pose a threat by sending drones, planting mines, or launching missiles in the waterway.

“We’ve already destroyed 100% of Iran’s military capabilities, but they can still easily send a drone, drop a mine, or launch a missile in or near this waterway — no matter how badly they are degraded,” he wrote.

As he called on nations to send ships to the Strait, he vowed: “The United States will be bombing Iran’s shoreline and actively engaging Iranian vessels. One way or another, we will soon reopen, secure, and free the Strait of Hormuz!”