Trump tells the UK and other countries ‘go get your own oil’ from Strait of Hormuz

Trump Hormuz oil demand leaves UK scrambling to protect Gulf shipments

Muhammad Asghar | GlobalBeat

President Trump told Britain and other US allies to “go get your own oil” from the Strait of Hormuz, rejecting longstanding American protection of international tanker traffic through the strategic waterway.

The blunt directive, delivered during a White House press briefing on Tuesday, effectively ends decades of US naval patrols that have safeguarded global energy supplies passing through the narrow channel between Iran and Oman.

The announcement sent immediate shockwaves through global oil markets, where benchmark Brent crude surged $2.40 to $79.85 per barrel within minutes of Trump’s comments. Britain imports roughly 20 percent of its oil through the strait, while Japan relies on the route for nearly 90 percent of its energy needs.

“We’ve been protecting these ships for nothing,” Trump said. “Let them protect their own ships. We don’t even need that oil anymore.”

The president’s stance reverses 40 years of American policy that treated the strait’s security as vital to global economic stability. The 21-mile-wide channel handles about 21 million barrels daily, roughly 20 percent of global oil consumption.

UK government officials privately expressed alarm at the development, with one senior Foreign Office source telling GlobalBeat that London had received “no advance warning” of the policy shift. The British embassy in Washington immediately requested urgent consultations with the State Department.

Defence Secretary John Healey called an emergency meeting of the National Security Council for Wednesday morning, according to officials at the Ministry of Defence. Britain currently operates 3 naval vessels in the region but lacks the capacity to replace American protection of commercial shipping.

“The Royal Navy cannot single-handedly secure the strait,” retired Admiral Lord West told reporters. “This leaves British energy security extremely vulnerable.”

Trump’s announcement comes amid rising tensions with Iran, which has threatened to close the strait if European powers enforce planned sanctions on Iranian oil exports. Tehran seized two British-flagged tankers in 2019 during a previous standoff.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps maintains dozens of fast attack boats capable of harassing commercial vessels, while Iran has deployed sophisticated anti-ship missiles along its coastline. Military analysts estimate Iran could mine the strait within hours of deciding to block the passage.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas condemned Trump’s decision as “reckless” during remarks in Brussels. “Abandoning collective security in one of the world’s most important shipping lanes serves nobody’s interests,” she said.

Germany announced it would consider deploying naval assets to the region, though Chancellor Friedrich Merz acknowledged Berlin’s limited military reach. “We simply don’t have the aircraft carriers necessary for such an operation,” Merz told German radio.

Japan’s government issued a more measured response, with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi saying Tokyo would “study the implications carefully” while seeking alternative energy suppliers. Japan’s navy consists primarily of destroyers optimised for coastal defence rather than long-range power projection.

Oil industry executives warned of immediate supply disruptions if shipping companies refuse to transit the strait without US protection. BP, Shell and other major operators began rerouting vessels around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope on Tuesday, adding 17 days and $400,000 in fuel costs per journey.

“The economics simply don’t work for most shipments,” said Lars Barstad, CEO of Norwegian tanker company Frontline. “Either prices spike dramatically or the oil stays in the ground.”

Trump dismissed such concerns, insisting that American energy independence made the patrols unnecessary. “We’re the number one producer in the world now,” he said. “Let China protect their own ships. Let Europe protect their ships.”

The United States became a net oil exporter in 2020 following the shale revolution, though it still imports crude to feed specific refineries configured for heavier foreign grades. Domestic production reached 13.2 million barrels daily in January, according to Energy Department data.

Analysts questioned whether Trump’s position would survive contact with economic reality. “If oil hits $150 per barrel, American consumers will demand action regardless of where the crude originates,” said Bob McNally of Rapidan Energy Group.

Background

The United States first deployed significant naval forces to protect Gulf shipping during the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-1988, when both nations targeted neutral tankers. Operation Earnest Will involved reflagging Kuwaiti vessels with American flags and escorting them through contested waters.

The policy continued through multiple conflicts, including the 1991 Gulf War and 2003 Iraq invasion. American presidents from both parties viewed the strait’s security as crucial to preventing global economic collapse, with even minor disruptions causing major price spikes.

The US Fifth Fleet, headquartered in Bahrain, has maintained a permanent aircraft carrier battle group in the region since 1995. The force includes destroyers, cruisers and support vessels capable of responding to threats ranging from pirates to Iranian speedboats.

The strategic importance of Middle Eastern oil has declined as American production surged following hydraulic fracturing technology. US imports from the Persian Gulf fell from 2.5 million barrels daily in 2003 to just 672,000 barrels in 2024, mostly byproducts rather than crude oil.

What’s Next

European powers must decide by Friday whether to assemble a multinational naval force or accept dramatically higher energy prices. France has offered its Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, but logistical support from other nations remains uncertain. The EU’s planned naval mission, dubbed Operation Sentinel, would require parliamentary approval from multiple member states.

British officials privately fear Iran will test the new security vacuum by seizing tankers or mining the strait, potentially triggering a wider conflict without American firepower to respond. The UK’s Type 45 destroyers carry only 48 missiles each, insufficient for sustained operations against Iranian shore batteries and aircraft.

Oil traders expect continued volatility, with Brent crude potentially testing $100 per barrel if actual supply disruptions materialise. American gasoline prices, currently averaging $3.45 per gallon nationwide, could surge past $5 for the first time since 2022 if the situation deteriorates further.

The standoff represents Trump’s most dramatic foreign policy departure yet, potentially reshaping global energy flows and security arrangements that have governed international commerce since World War Two. Whether allies step into the security vacuum or accept a new era of energy vulnerability remains the critical unanswered question hanging over global markets.