Trump: “We would rather not get involved, sir”

President Trump expressed frustration Monday that some countries have been reluctant to send forces to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the critical oil route that has all but shut down since the war in Iran began late last month.

"Numerous countries have told me they're on the way. Some are very enthusiastic about it, and some aren't. Some are countries that we've helped for many, many years. We've protected them from horrible outside sources, and they weren't that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm matters to me," he said at a White House event.

The president declined to say which countries have agreed to help the U.S., saying NATO countries "should be jumping to help us," but added in a mocking voice that he had heard from some world leaders: "We would rather not get involved, sir."

"I've been a big critic of all of the protecting of countries because I know that we'll protect them, and if ever needed, if we ever needed help, they won't be there for us. I've just known that for a long period of time," he said.

President Trump said the U.S. had destroyed all of Iran's mine-laying ships but conceded Tehran could use other vessels to disrupt shipping through the strategic strait, through which about a fifth of the world's oil passes.

"We don't know that they have dropped anything," he said.

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