Germany Tells Trump No Thanks on Invite to Join Iran War
Germany has rejected President Trump’s request for them to join his war on Iran while the United States flounders in controlling the vital Strait of Hormuz.“What does Trump expect a handful of European frigates to do that the powerful U.S. Navy cannot?” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Monday. “This is not our war, and we didn’t start it.”“Neither the United States nor Israel consulted us before the war, and ... Washington explicitly stated at the outset of the war that European assistance was neither necessary nor desired,” German spokesperson Stefan Kornelius added.Germany is the latest Western ally to rebuke Trump as he struggles to rein in surging oil prices caused by Iran’s retaliatory blockade of the strait. French President Emmanuel Macron told Trump the French Navy would only get involved after the situation calms, and U.K., Polish, and Spanish leaders have completely rebuked the president.Germany’s reaction, along with those of various other European countries, underscores just how little support Trump’s war has with longtime U.S. allies—and understandably so. The Trump administration has spent over a year demeaning, attacking, and demanding more of European leaders. Begging them to cobble together some kind of “save the oil” coalition at the last minute seems like a Hail Mary in every sense.