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U.S. President Donald Trump has directed sharp criticism toward Australia, alongside NATO and other nations, for failing to meet his expectations for assistance in the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing military tensions in the Middle East.
In a recent post on Truth Social, Trump expressed his frustration, stating that “most” NATO allies have communicated that they are unwilling to participate, despite what he claims is widespread agreement with U.S. actions in the region.
Australia was specifically mentioned by Trump as a country from which he does not “need or desire” support, grouping it with other nations he perceives as non-essential to U.S. military efforts.
Trump declared, “Due to our significant Military Success, we no longer ‘need’ or desire assistance from NATO countries — WE NEVER DID! This applies equally to Japan, Australia, or South Korea. As President of the United States, the most powerful nation globally, WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!”
“Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer ‘need,’ or desire, the NATO Countries’ assistance — WE NEVER DID! Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea. In fact, speaking as President of the United States of America, by far the Most Powerful Country Anywhere in the World, WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!”
Earlier this week, Trump had called on US allies to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping channel in Iran that transports 20 per cent of the world’s fuel.
Iran’s de facto blockade of the strait has led to global oil prices rising by 40-50 per cent.
Last week, Trump requested that allies send warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others, that are affected by this artificial constraint, will send Ships,” he wrote.
Speaking on ABC Radio, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said there hadn’t been a formal US request for Australia to send naval assets to the Strait of Hormuz.
“There wasn’t a formal request to send ships to the strait, and it’s not something that we’ve been considering in the almost daily National Security Committee meetings that have been taking place over the course of the last couple of weeks,” Chalmers said.
Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, a longtime critic of Donald Trump, said his comments came “straight from the heart”, adding that sending ships to the Strait of Hormuz would only play into Iran’s hands.
“This is a guy who does not respect smaller countries. He believes might is right, he makes no bones about that. And he believes that he should be able to do and get whatever he wants,” he told ABC National Breakfast.
Trump’s request for help was met with a cool response from European leaders.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said London was working with allies to craft a “viable” plan to reopen the strait, but ruled out a NATO mission, while German President Friedrich Merz also said it “has been clear at all times that this war is not a matter for NATO”.
A spokesman from China’s Foreign Ministry, Lin Jian, said Beijing was not interested in any military involvement in the strait.
On Tuesday, Defence Minister Richard Marles said the government would consider any request to participate in the conflict through the lens of the national interest, but Australia had not been directly asked.
“We’re not contemplating sending a ship, but we’ve not received a request.”
Chalmers said the blockade in the strait was a concern for Australian leaders.
He said assuming the global economy will recover immediately after the conflict ends is naive.
“The key uncertainty is how long this thing drags out for and also reasonable assumptions about how quickly the global economy can get back on its feet if there was an end to the most dramatic hostilities,” Chalmers said.
Overnight, Trump also spoke with reporters as he welcomed Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin in the Oval Office.
He said NATO was making “a very foolish mistake”.
“I’ve long said that I wonder whether or not NATO would ever be there for us. So this was a great test,” he told reporters.
Asked if he would reconsider the US relationship with NATO as he has suggested in the past, Trump said it was “certainly something that we should think about”, but added, “I have nothing currently in mind.”
But he repeated his criticisms of foreign counterparts over the issue, saying British Prime Minister Keir Starmer “hasn’t been supportive, and I think it’s a big mistake.”
Of Macron, he merely said that “he’ll be out of office soon.”
On Tuesday, high-ranking US counter-terrorism official Joe Kent abruptly resigned.
In his resignation letter, posted to X, he said, “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran”.
“Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
— With additional reporting from the Agence France-Presse
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