US President Donald Trump is expected to announce an escort coalition for securing the Strait of Hormuz, as he brought pressure on NATO and China over Iran’s threats to close the maritime choke point.
Trump’s announcement on the escort coalition of naval forces to be deployed in the Hormuz Strait could come this week, according to American media platforms.
It wasn’t clear yet if the naval mission to escort cargo vessels in the Hormuz Strait would begin at the earliest, even before the US and Iran come to an agreement on ending the West Asia military conflict.
The present round of war in West Asia was triggered by the US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28, 2026, in which Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed, leading to over two weeks of missile and drone strikes on each other’s territory and military infrastructure in the region.
The military conflict has also killed 13 American soldiers, even as the Iranian attacks on cargo vessels passing through the Hormuz Strait resulted in the death and injury of maritime crew members.
Trump administration officials said the US Navy would provide escort and safety to commercial vessels transiting the Hormuz Strait, a choke point in the Gulf region through which 20% of the global energy supplies pass.
Iran has threatened a blockade of the Hormuz Strait, deploying sea mines and naval vessels, apart from targeting the cargo ships with missiles, rockets, and drones. This had put pressure on the global oil markets, with prices already hitting the roof.
Since the US-Israeli military operations on Iran began two weeks ago, global oil prices have surpassed $100 per barrel, and US gas prices have risen by more than 70 cents per gallon.
In a social media post on Saturday (March 14), Trump also called on other nations to help in the escort mission through the Hormuz Strait.
“Many countries, especially those that are affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending warships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the (Hormuz) Strait open and safe,” he said.
His hope rested on China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain, and others to send ships to the Hormuz Strait, but his appeal to them did not elicit an immediate response or commitment.
Later, Trump posted again, asking, “The countries of the world that receive oil through the Hormuz Strait must take care of that passage, and we will help – A LOT!” He added, “The US will also coordinate with those countries so that everything goes quickly, smoothly, and well.”
The US President urged NATO partners and China, in particular, to help reopen the Hormuz Strait, closed by Iran, even as major economies began releasing their oil reserves on Monday (March 16) to manage the disruption in oil supplies.
Global oil prices have gone up by 40% to 50% after Iran stopped all cargo traffic through the Hormuz Strait, choosing to allow commercial vessels of only friendly foreign nations, such as India, after its diplomatic efforts in this regard.
“It’s only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the Strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there,” Trump told an American publication on Sunday (March 15), particularly Europe and China, which are heavily dependent on the Gulf for oil imports.
Trump threatened to delay a planned summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping later this month if Beijing does not assist with reopening the Strait.
He also warned that no response or a negative reply to his request would be “very bad for the future of NATO.” But Japan and Australia both said they were not planning naval deployments to the Strait.