Trump sees coalition to escort ships through Strait of Hormuz – report

March 16 ------ The Trump administration plans to announce as early as this week that multiple countries have agreed to form a coalition that will escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials.

US President Donald Trump has warned that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) faces a “very bad” future if US allies fail to assist in opening up the strait, in an interview with the Financial Times published on Sunday. Trump told the FT he could also delay his summit with China’s President Xi Jinping later this month as he presses Beijing to help unblock the crucial waterway. “I think China should help too because China gets 90% of its oil from the strait,” Trump told the newspaper, adding he would prefer to know Beijing’s position before the planned visit. “We may delay,” he said of the trip.

The US president said countries that benefit from the shipping route should help secure it. “It’s only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there,” he told the FT.

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. Trump on Saturday, March 14, called on nations to send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz open for shipping as Iranian forces respond to US and Israeli attacks on Iran.

Source: rappler.com