U.S. President Donald Trump said on April 11, as U.S. and Iranian delegations began talks in Pakistan, that the United States has launched operations to “clear” the Strait of Hormuz for countries around the world, including South Korea, Japan and China.
In a post on his social platform Truth Social, Trump pushed back against what he called critical media coverage of the Iran conflict and wrote, “We are now starting operations to clear the Strait of Hormuz for countries across the globe, including China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany and many others.”
He added that many nations lack “the courage or will” to act on their own. “But interestingly,” he wrote, “many countries are sending empty tankers to the United States to fill up with oil.”
Trump said Iran is suffering a crushing defeat and claimed that the regime’s only remaining leverage is the threat of ships striking mines. “All 28 of their mine-laying vessels have sunk,” he asserted.
His comments reflect the view that the U.S. is shouldering the burden of keeping the Hormuz shipping lane open — a responsibility he suggested Asian and European partners such as South Korea, China and Japan should be taking on.
Analysts say the remarks amount to an effort to shift responsibility to South Korea and other countries after Iran effectively disrupted traffic through the Strait amid U.S. military action. They interpret Trump’s tone as frustration that those countries have not done more to reopen the route.
Trump has repeatedly criticized allies that did not immediately agree to deploy forces to the Strait of Hormuz. He argues that because U.S. reliance on the waterway is lower, the countries that depend on it most should lead efforts to relieve the chokehold.
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Shin Juwon (nanjuhee@yna.co.kr)
