WASHINGTON, March 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday complained that U.S. allies are reluctant to answer his call to join a White House-proposed multinational mission to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.
"We've protected them from horrible outside sources, and they weren't that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm matters to me," Trump said at a press conference.
Trump said some countries hosting large numbers of U.S. troops had declined to provide assistance when Washington asked whether they could contribute minesweeping vessels for a potential escort mission.
"I don't do a hard sell on them, because my attitude is, we don't need anybody," Trump argued. "But it's interesting: I'm almost doing it in some cases, not because we need them, but because I want to find out how they react."
Trump especially said that he was "not happy with the UK" since British Prime Minister Keir Starmer declined to assist the United States at the initial stage of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
"I was very surprised with the United Kingdom, because United Kingdom two weeks ago, I said, 'Why don't you send some ships over?' And he really didn't want to do it," Trump said, describing Britain as the U.S.' "oldest ally."
"I think it's terrible," Trump said, also questioning why Starmer refused to decide immediately to send British warships to join the escort mission.
"I said, 'You don't need to meet with your team, you're the prime minister, you can make your own, why do you have to meet with your team to find out whether or not you're going to send some minesweepers to help us or to send some boats?'" Trump said, referring to a Sunday call with Starmer.
Meanwhile, Trump claimed "numerous countries have told me they're on the way," though he failed to name any.
Multiple media reports said that so far, it appears that U.S. allies have either been noncommittal or have declined to participate.
"I've been a big critic of all of the protecting of countries because I know that we'll protect them. And if we ever needed help, they won't be there for us. I've just known that for a long period of time," he lamented.
Trump also said U.S. forces have sunk all of the Iranian mine-laying ships, but it remains unclear if Iran has started laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, while noting that Iran now can put mines on other types of ships and drop them in the strait. Enditem
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