HomeUSTrump's Fiery Rebuke: Unpacking the Tensions with France and UK Over Strait...

Trump’s Fiery Rebuke: Unpacking the Tensions with France and UK Over Strait of Hormuz

Share and Follow

WASHINGTON — On Tuesday, President Trump sharply criticized the United Kingdom and France for their reluctance to engage in the Iran conflict, proposing that the UK should “simply seize” the Strait of Hormuz to restore their disrupted oil supplies.

In a flurry of posts on Truth Social, Trump lambasted these allies for being “VERY UNHELPFUL” and not participating in efforts against Iran, despite their complaints about the impact of the strait’s blockade on their oil access.


View looking north showing the Strait of Hormuz, connecting the Gulf of Oman with the Persian Gulf, with the Zagros Mountains and Qeshm Island of Iran in the background, and areas of Oman, Muscat and the United Arab Emirates in the foreground
A view looking north, showing the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Gulf of Oman with the Persian Gulf, with the Zagros Mountains and Qeshm Island of Iran in the background, and areas of Oman, Muscat, and the United Arab Emirates in the foreground. Getty Images

He threatened that the US would take Kharg Island, a central hub in Iran’s oil exports out of the Persian Gulf, if the Strait of Hormuz isn’t reopened.

Roughly 20% of the world’s oil passes out of the strait and its closure has caused prices to spike as much as 50% in recent weeks.

Share and Follow