NEW YORK (Bloomberg): President Donald Trump said he is “demanding” that other countries contribute to the defence of the Strait of Hormuz as it remains effectively closed to oil tankers.
“I really am demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory,” he told reporters Sunday (March 15) on Air Force One, declining to name specific countries. “It’s the place from which they get their energy, and they should come, and they should help us protect it.”
He added that China is very reliant on oil transiting through the Strait of Hormuz and that they should come in and help secure the corridor.
In an interview with the Financial Times earlier Sunday, Trump said he could delay his planned summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping if Beijing doesn’t help unblock the strait. He also warned in that interview that NATO would face a “very bad” future if member states fail to help in Hormuz. – Bloomberg
