Published on: Wed, 18 Mar 2026 01:01:48 GMT
Original Story: European leaders rebuff Trump’s call to open the Strait of Hormuz – The Washington Post

Trump’s Hormuz Gambit: Another Empty Threat?

So, Donald Trump, fresh off… well, whatever he’s been up to lately, apparently wants European leaders to jump to his tune and open the Strait of Hormuz. Yeah, good luck with that, Donny. It’s like asking your cat to do your taxes – theoretically possible, but highly improbable and ultimately just a waste of time.

Deja Vu All Over Again (Especially on Trade)

Let’s be real. This isn’t about some noble quest for free passage. This is about leveraging geopolitical tension to, what? Drive up oil prices? Flex some geriatric muscle on the world stage? Who honestly knows anymore? It’s like watching a toddler play with a nuclear-powered Lego set – you’re never quite sure if the end result will be a masterpiece or a mushroom cloud.

And speaking of predictable, remember back in 2018 when Trump was screaming bloody murder about trade deficits and threatening tariffs on *everyone*? He was going to “win” trade wars, and Mexico was going to pay for the wall (still waiting on that check, by the way). Now he’s expecting European nations, many of whom he alienated with those very tariffs, to do him a solid? The irony is thicker than Trump’s spray tan. The idea that he’s now asking for favors from the same people he’s spent years antagonizing is peak Trumpian cognitive dissonance.

The Strait Situation: A Quick Primer

For those of you who skipped geography class (no judgment, I was probably napping too), the Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Oman and Iran, and it’s a vital shipping lane for, oh, about 20% of the world’s oil supply. So, yeah, kind of important. Closing it would be a global economic disaster, hence all the furrowed brows and diplomatic hand-wringing whenever someone even *mentions* the possibility. It’s a strategic chokepoint that always threatens to spill into something worse.

Trump’s administration, of course, has a long and storied history of antagonizing Iran, pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 against the advice of, well, pretty much everyone except maybe Rudy Giuliani. Now, he wants Europe to bail him out of a mess largely of his own making. It’s like setting your house on fire and then calling the neighbors to complain about the smoke.

Why Europe Isn’t Exactly Rushing to Help

Firstly, European leaders have their own fish to fry. Brexit, the war in Ukraine, rising energy costs – they’re not exactly sitting around twiddling their thumbs, waiting for Trump to give them marching orders. Secondly, they likely remember the last time they blindly followed Trump’s lead, and how well *that* turned out (hint: not great). Third, and perhaps most importantly, they have their own diplomatic strategies for dealing with Iran, which, while not perfect, are probably a tad more nuanced than “yell loudly and threaten sanctions.”

It’s also worth mentioning that the EU has consistently tried to salvage the Iran nuclear deal after Trump unilaterally withdrew from it. They see it as a vital tool for preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, and they’re unlikely to jeopardize that just to appease Trump’s latest whim. They probably remember his “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran from 2018, which did nothing to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions and instead fueled regional instability.

The Potential Economic Fallout

Let’s not forget the economic implications of all this. A closed Strait of Hormuz would send oil prices soaring, which would in turn trigger inflation, hurt businesses, and generally make everyone miserable. And who would be blamed? Well, probably Biden, because that’s just how things work these days. But Trump’s saber-rattling certainly wouldn’t help matters. His actions often remind me of when he declared bankruptcy how many times? 6 times? I’m sure we’ll get a bailout like his businesses did if this goes sideways.

The tariff wars of 2018-2019, which Trump initiated based on the dubious premise that trade deficits were a sign of national weakness, provide a cautionary tale. Those tariffs hurt American consumers and businesses, disrupted global supply chains, and ultimately failed to achieve their stated goals. Now, Trump seems to be gearing up for another round of economic brinkmanship, and the world is understandably wary. He has demonstrated a complete lack of understanding of basic economics. His policies are a recipe for disaster, and we’re all just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Snarky Takeaway

So, will Europe jump to Trump’s command? Probably not. Will this latest outburst escalate tensions in the Middle East? Possibly. Will any of this make sense in the grand scheme of things? Absolutely not. Buckle up, folks. It’s going to be a bumpy ride. At this point I would be surprised if someone DIDN’T get indicted. Just another day in the dumpster fire that is modern politics.