During his press conference on Tuesday, Hegseth drove home the sentiment of Trump’s social media post on Tuesday, arguing that the US had “set the conditions of success” and that the Strait was “not just an American problem set”.
“There are countries around the world who ought be prepared to step up on this critical waterway as well. It’s not just the United States Navy,” he said.
About 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) usually passes through the Strait, and the war has sent global fuel prices soaring.
In their recent 15-point peace plan, US negotiators said Iran would be required to reopen the Strait – among other demands – as a precondition for ending the war.
But on Monday, a spokesperson for Iran’s foreign minister once again denied there had been talks with US officials. Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran had “had no negotiations with America in these thirty-one days,” referring to the duration of the war.
Hegseth did not list reopening the Strait among his war objectives in his prepared statement on Tuesday, but he later described it as “the goal”.
Like Trump, he singled out the UK, saying its “big bad Royal Navy” should get involved. The UK has said it won’t be “dragged into” the war.
Hegseth said: “A lot has been laid bare. A lot has been shown to the world about what our allies would be willing to do for the United States of America… the president is pointing out you don’t have much of an alliance if you have countries that are not willing to stand with you when you need them.”
Hegseth also told reporters the timeline of the war could now be six to eight weeks, a break from the previous four-to-six-week timeline that was earlier set out by the administration.