President Donald Trump is not receiving the support from “other countries” that he prematurely said he would.
The United Kingdom, a key U.S. ally, has said it will not take part in the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz that Trump, 79, announced on Sunday in a series of threatening posts on Truth Social.
“We continue to support freedom of navigation and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, which is urgently needed to support the global economy and the cost of living back home,” a UK government spokesperson said, as reported by the BBC.
“The Strait of Hormuz must not be subject to tolling,” the spokesperson added, directly contradicting Trump’s claim that he instructed the U.S. Navy to “seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran,” following failed peace talks between the two countries on Saturday.
The statement comes as Trump has reportedly been growing increasingly frustrated with NATO allies for not supporting the United States after it launched a surprise war on Iran in coordination with Israel on Feb. 28.
During an appearance on Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, Trump launched into a tirade against countries—including the UK and Germany—for “not being there” for the U.S. while also claiming that he thinks “numerous countries are going to be helping us” with the newly announced blockade.
Since the start of the conflict, the president has demanded that NATO allies help reopen the Strait, which was effectively closed after Iran placed mines throughout much of the waterway, bringing a critical passage for roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments to a standstill.
Yet, some top NATO allies have rejected the president’s calls for help in the region.
In an interview for ITV’s Talking Politics podcast, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was “fed up with the fact that families across the country see their bills go up and down... because of the actions of Putin or Trump.”
In March, UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband told the BBC that the country was exploring “any options” to help reopen the Strait, but government officials were reportedly wary that sending ships or aerial minesweepers to clear the waterway could escalate the crisis, according to The Guardian.
“We are urgently working with France and other partners to put together a wide coalition to protect freedom of navigation,” the UK spokesperson said on Sunday, as the Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week that the White House is considering measures against allies that do not back its war with Iran, including the possible withdrawal of American troops from NATO states.
On Saturday, the president claimed that the US was “clearing out” the Strait “as a favor to Countries all over the World,” with U.S. Central Command later confirming the mission.
“Incredibly, they don’t have the Courage or Will to do this work themselves,” the president posted on Truth Social.
The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment.
