Trump calls on foreign countries to protect their own oil tankers

[Geee]

The Hill

President Trump on Monday appeared to argue that the U.S. does not need to protect commerce in foreign waterways like the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting he's not concerned about Iranian activity there as long as Tehran does not develop a nuclear weapon.

The president, who has long expressed opposition to America's role as the world's police, tweeted that China and Japan are among the countries that get most of its oil via shipping through "the Straight," and called on them to protect their own vessels.

"So why are we protecting the shipping lanes for other countries (many years) for zero compensation. All of these countries should be protecting their own ships on what has always been a dangerous journey," Trump tweeted.

"We don’t even need to be there in that the U.S. has just become (by far) the largest producer of Energy anywhere in the world!" Trump continued. "The U.S. request for Iran is very simple - No Nuclear Weapons and No Further Sponsoring of Terror!"

[Valin]

Quote

"So why are we protecting the shipping lanes for other countries (many years) for zero compensation. All of these countries should be protecting their own ships on what has always been a dangerous journey," Trump tweeted.

 

Assuming this he is serious, and not tolling, this is possibly the stupidest dangerous most counter-productive thing he's said for some time.