Translated by Federico Emanuele
Introduction
The recent crisis in the Middle East has highlighted a single fact: the international isolation of United States President Donald Trump. As oil prices surge past $100 and the Strait of Hormuz becomes the "red zone" of yet another conflict, an undeniable reality is emerging from much of the international diplomatic community: the solitude of Donald Trump.
An Unheeded Appeal
In a post on his Truth social profile. President Trump reiterated that “the countries of the world that receive oil from the Strait … must take care of that passage,” appealing to all his allies, from NATO to Japan and Australia. The peremptory call to historical allies was clear: they were to send warships to secure the Strait of Hormuz, a critical hub for both crude oil and natural gas. The passage was recently closed by Iran (with the exception of a small number of ships bound for India and China carrying Iranian oil) following joint strikes by the United States and Israel. Numerous cargo ships transiting the strait have been struck by “unknown projectiles.” With 20% of the world's oil flowing through Hormuz, global oil prices have inevitably spiked
As Trump himself stated since nations such as China, France, the United Kingdom, and South Korea were affected by this artificial blockade, “they would inevitably send ships.”
Yet, despite the American President’s earnest appeals, none of the allies responded with enthusiasm, highlighting the increasingly evident international isolation of the American administration.
A Shaky Alliance?
Despite the international spike in oil prices and the fact that some nations have suffered actual losses, such as a French soldier killed by an Iranian drone strike in Iraq or an Italian aircraft destroyed at a military base in Kuwait, no country has yet formally answered the Republican leader’s call.
Trump’s reaction was immediate, threatening a “very negative” future for NATO should allies choose not to collaborate in reopening the Strait.
Furthermore, President Trump continued to accuse his Atlantic Alliance allies, claiming that the United States “has always been there for NATO.” He also reiterated that the U.S. administration offered support to Ukraine, despite it “not involving them at all… and that it would now be interesting to see what these same countries might do to return the favor.”
Nevertheless, as previously noted, Trump’s “call to arms” has fallen largely on deaf ears, drawing decidedly negative reactions from European leaders.
“This is not our war; we did not start it,” commented German Foreign Minister Boris Pistorius. In the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer stated he will not allow the country to be dragged into a conflict with Iran, while in Italy, Antonio Tajani appealed for diplomacy to prevail.
A President Victim of Himself?
In the original plans the war was intended to last only a few days. However, the emerging reality is quite different, with numerous complications causing the conflict to drag on significantly.
The United States has found itself in a situation beyond its control. Despite the Republican leader's initial bold claims that “no help would be needed,” he is now invoking the support of those same allies (particularly Europeans) whom he had heavily criticized in previous months, kept in the dark regarding the initiative, and even targeted with tariffs.
Conclusion
What is surfacing is a demonstration of weakness and incompetence on the part of the American administration. After months of aggressive rhetoric and sharp accusations against the international community, the President now admits a need for support from the very allies who, having been long criticized, now prefer a strategy of caution, leaving Trump a victim of his own making.
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