Published on 4/30/2026
The Wall Street Journal quoted an internal US State Department cable saying that Washington is urging other countries to join a new international alliance that will enable ships to navigate through the Strait of Hormuz.
The newspaper reported that the State Department’s internal telegram was sent to American embassies, and called on American diplomats to put pressure on foreign governments to join the new alliance.
She pointed out that the cable, which bore the name Building Freedom of Maritime Navigation, said: “Your participation will enhance our collective ability to restore freedom of navigation and protect the global economy, and that collective action is necessary to demonstrate unity of resolve and impose meaningful costs on Iran’s obstruction of ships’ transit through the strait.”
She explained that the cable sent stated that the new US-led coalition would share information, coordinate diplomatically, and implement sanctions, and that “the maritime task force will complement other maritime security task forces, including maritime planning efforts led by the United Kingdom and France.”
The newspaper quoted an American administration official as saying that the idea of the new alliance represents one of the many diplomatic and political tools available to President Trump.
Trump criticizes America’s allies
The Wall Street Journal noted that the proposal to create a new alliance comes just weeks after US President Donald Trump announced that the Strait of Hormuz is “fully open and ready for action.”
Trump has previously criticized America’s allies, especially NATO, for not providing military support to the United States and Israel in their war on Iran. It seems that the effort to form a new coalition led by America contradicts a previous request by Trump that allies, especially the Europeans, take the initiative to open the strait, according to the newspaper.
Trump had previously put pressure on his allies, saying: “Go and get your oil yourself!” He also described NATO as a “paper tiger.” European officials responded that Trump had not notified them in advance about launching a war on Iran. Rather, European leaders publicly condemned Trump’s decision to wage war.
The Wall Street Journal pointed to meetings of European countries to develop a strategy to allow ships to sail in the Strait of Hormuz after the end of the war with Iran, as the United Kingdom and France chaired a meeting that included more than 50 countries to discuss this issue.
