SOURCE :- THE AGE NEWS
Washington: US President Donald Trump said he was surprised Australia “said no” to his request to help with the war in Iran, and called on Canberra to “get involved”.
Asked what he wanted Australia to do, Trump said: “They should get involved… I was a little bit surprised that they said ‘no’ because we always say yes to them.”
It was not immediately clear what Trump was referring to when he said Australia had refused a request to help.
The president was responding to a question from Sky News Australia as he boarded a US military helicopter to leave the White House, bound for Florida. He did not respond to further shouted questions.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles has previously acknowledged US requests for help with the Iran operation, without offering specifics.
Australia did not accede to that request, but agreed to provide defensive assistance to the United Arab Emirates by deploying a Wedgetail surveillance aircraft to the Gulf, following a request from the UAE.
Marles said there had been no request from Washington for Australia to send a warship to the Strait of Hormuz.
The Albanese government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s latest remarks
On Monday (US time), Trump called out Australia, Japan and South Korea for not assisting in the operation, at the same time as he said the US did not need their help. “WE NEVER DID!” he said in that post.
He has been especially critical of the United Kingdom for not sending aircraft carriers to assist, and of the US’s NATO allies for not participating in efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
However, on Thursday, the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Japan said they were ready to contribute to “appropriate efforts” to help unblock the crucial shipping passage.
The British government has now also signed off on allowing the US to use UK military bases for “defensive operations” to degrade Iranian missile sites and capabilities that are being used to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
After leaving Washington on Friday evening, Trump posted to Truth Social saying that the US was getting close to meeting its objectives in Iran and considering winding down military operations.
He listed those objectives as: degrading Iran’s missile capability, destroying its industrial base, eliminating its navy and air force, preventing it from getting close to developing nuclear weapons, and protecting the US’ Middle Eastern allies such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and others.
Trump suggested the US would withdraw and leave policing the Strait to allies that were more dependent on oil exports from the Middle East.
“The Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it – The United States does not!” Trump wrote.
“If asked, we will help these Countries in their Hormuz efforts, but it shouldn’t be necessary once Iran’s threat is eradicated. Importantly, it will be an easy Military Operation for them.”
But Trump’s statement seemed at odds with his administration’s move to send more troops and warships to the region and request another $US200 billion ($284 billion) from Congress to fund the war.
His comments came shortly after he rejected declaring a ceasefire in Iran, while expressing confidence the Strait of Hormuz would “open itself” despite allies’ reluctance to offer assistance.
“It’s a simple military manoeuvre. It’s relatively safe,” he said. “But you need a lot of help, in the sense of: you need ships. You need volume. NATO could help us, but they, so far, haven’t had the courage to do so. And others could help us.”
The president was evasive about his plans for Kharg Island, Iran’s major oil export hub. US officials have said the White House is ordering hundreds of Marines to be deployed to the Middle East as it weighs a plan to seize the outpost.
“I may have a plan, or I may not, but how would I ever say that to a reporter?” Trump said.
With agencies
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Michael Koziol is the North America correspondent for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. He is a former Sydney editor, Sun-Herald deputy editor and a federal political reporter in Canberra.Connect via X or email.
