US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, March 16, 2026. ALEX BRANDON/AP
Donald Trump showed his frustration on Monday, March 16, at the lack of enthusiasm displayed by the United States' allies to join, as he invited them to do, an operation aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The strategic passage has become one of the main flashpoints in the war launched on February 28 with Israel against Iran, which has the capacity to completely block maritime traffic there.
After launching hostilities without any consultation with allies, the president has turned their participation into a test of loyalty. "I'm almost doing it, in some cases, not because we need them, but because I want to find out how they react," he said, as if to dismiss any sign of weakness, before judging that France's response was "not perfect." "But it's France. We don't expect perfect," he quipped.
"You mean for 40 years we're protecting you, and you don't want to get involved in something that's very minor?" lamented Trump, who built part of his career on claiming that partners have taken advantage of the US's goodwill. He said some countries had expressed their willingness to participate, but would not specify which ones.
