Trump urges allies to patrol Strait of Hormuz

U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that countries including South Korea, China, Japan, the United Kingdom and France should send naval vessels to the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that nations dependent on oil shipments through the waterway must help keep it open.

In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote that those countries would dispatch warships to the strategic passage. His remarks came as the strait has been effectively paralyzed amid U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran and retaliatory attacks by Tehran, a confrontation that has pushed global oil prices sharply higher. The statement effectively called on third countries to take on what amounts to a military deployment.

Trump had previously said the U.S. Navy would conduct escort operations if necessary. On Friday, however, he shifted his stance, writing that countries receiving oil through the Strait of Hormuz should take responsibility for managing navigation there and that the United States would provide assistance. The change suggests an effort to place primary responsibility for securing the waterway on other nations while positioning Washington as a supporting partner.

The approach reflects Trump’s characteristic transactional strategy. By distributing the costs and responsibilities of safeguarding the strait, the administration could blunt antiwar sentiment at home if tensions in the Middle East persist. The proposal may also serve as a negotiating lever with China and Japan, both of which are preparing for upcoming summit meetings with Washington.

The concern is that the multinational escort operation envisioned by the United States could draw third countries into the conflict and increase the risk of escalation. Roughly 3,000 vessels pass through the strait each month, and more than 20 percent of the world’s crude oil and natural gas shipments move through the narrow waterway, making it a critical chokepoint for the global economy.

At its narrowest point the strait measures about 34 kilometers across, while the navigable lane used by large oil tankers is only about 10 kilometers wide. The confined waters make vessels particularly vulnerable to Iranian drone, mine or missile attacks. Within the United States, concerns have also been raised that the area could become a “kill box” capable of producing heavy American casualties.

South Korea faced a similar situation in 2020 when tensions between the United States and Iran escalated. At the time, the Cheonghae Unit, deployed in the Gulf of Aden, expanded its operational area and carried out an independent mission escorting South Korean vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. The situation today, however, is markedly different. Missile and drone strikes are already being exchanged in what amounts to wartime conditions. Even U.S. allies such as the United Kingdom, France and Japan appear cautious, suggesting that military tensions would need to ease before they could consider joining escort operations.

South Korea in particular faces a dual challenge. Some military assets, including elements of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system operated by United States Forces Korea, have been redeployed to the Middle East. As a result, Seoul is exposed simultaneously to energy risks and security pressures stemming from the regional crisis.

Stability in the Strait of Hormuz is directly tied to South Korea’s national interests. At the same time, any deployment that could result in casualties among South Korean troops or heighten security risks would be difficult to pursue without broad public support and approval from the National Assembly.

Ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz therefore requires careful consideration within the framework of national interests and international cooperation. At the same time, diplomatic efforts are needed to persuade Iran to guarantee safe passage for commercial shipping, as France has sought to do. Under no circumstances should South Korea allow itself to be drawn into the Middle East conflict and become a military target.