Trump Cool on Allied Plan to Demine Strait of Hormuz: "I Don't Think We Need Much Help"

The naval mission that US allies are proposing for the Strait of Hormuz is detailed and ready. France and the UK have been working on the plans for months. French President Emmanuel Macron floated the idea in March, saying warships could escort tankers and container ships through the maritime chokepoint when the conflict dies down.

But President Donald Trump appears hesitant. At the G7 summit on Monday, Trump told Macron he does not see a need for "much help" because the strait is "going to be open" thanks to his tentative deal with Iran.

"I don't think it's a bad idea to have a ship or two up here from a few countries. You'd be a great country to do it," Trump told the French leader.

A statement welcoming the framework deal was issued by France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, and Italy, later joined by Canada. They proposed "a strictly defensive and independent mission to reassure commercial shipping and conduct mine clearance operations."

France's nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, is already in the region. Macron dispatched it to the eastern Mediterranean in early March and then onward through the Suez Canal to the Arabian Sea. Other nations deployed in the region that could quickly help include the Netherlands, Italy, and the UK. Macron told Trump that French fighter aircraft could take part in observation missions over the waterway as soon as Tuesday, followed by frigates within 48 hours and the aircraft carrier within two to three days.

"Of course, all this supposes that it is desired and requested," Macron said. "Perhaps it will not be wanted and perhaps it will not be necessary. But in any case, it reflects our willingness to help."

The mission would aim to reassure crews and shipping insurers that vessels can safely navigate the waterway again by removing explosive mines and potentially providing military escorts. Trump said mines have been found and that efforts to locate others continue, but that the strait "is already partially opened."

The UK's Royal Navy has showcased the specialist expertise it could offer, welcoming reporters aboard the RFA Lyme Bay as it waited off Gibraltar last month to be deployed.

For now, Trump is not saying no. But he is not saying yes either. The allies are ready to move. The French carrier is already in position. The mines are still there. And the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important shipping lanes, remains a dangerous place. The only question is whether Trump will let anyone help clean it up.

Written by Sandy van Dongen sandy.vandongen@alpineweekly.com