Several key U.S. allies have refused President Donald Trump’s call for military help to secure the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing conflict with Iran. The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial route for global oil shipments that has been disrupted by the war, but countries including the United Kingdom, Japan, France and Australia have said they will not send warships to assist in reopening it. 

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government has resisted Trump’s request to dispatch naval forces to the Gulf, instead focusing on defensive measures and diplomatic engagement, while stressing that any military support must follow international law. 

Japan, heavily dependent on Middle Eastern energy but constrained by its pacifist constitution, has stated it has no current plans to deploy escort ships to the strategic waterway. 

Australia has also made clear that it will not send navy ships to the Strait of Hormuz, choosing to provide other forms of assistance instead. France, meanwhile, has emphasised non‑escalatory approaches and declined direct involvement in the U.S.‑led request for a military maritime mission.