Trump Calls for Multinational Deployment of Warships to Escort Through Strait of Hormuz, France, Japan, South Korea, UK Respond

**March 15 – No country has publicly committed to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent call for nations to send naval ships to escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Qatar’s Al Jazeera, which outlined responses from four key countries on Thursday:** - **France**: The French Foreign Ministry said in an X post it will not deploy warships for the mission, noting its aircraft carrier and accompanying fleet will remain in the Eastern Mediterranean. - **Japan**: Japanese officials told local media Tokyo will not dispatch warships solely in response to Trump’s call, emphasizing Japan will make decisions independently and that independent judgment is critical. - **South Korea**: The South Korean presidential office stated it will carefully review Trump’s request and maintain close communication with the U.S. - **UK**: A UK Ministry of Defense spokesperson told U.S. media the country is currently discussing a range of options with allies and partners to ensure maritime security in the region. Al Jazeera noted the above responses reflect that no nation has yet publicly answered Trump’s call.