Chuck Schumer Blasts Trump For Hoping That China Will Help US Clear The Hormuz Strait: He’s Created A ‘Mess’ And Has No Plan For How To End It

by | Mar 17, 2026 | General

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on Monday blasted President Donald Trump after the president said China should help the United States secure the Strait of Hormuz, the vital oil chokepoint snarled by the U.S.-Israel war with Iran.

Schumer Mocks Trump’s China Plea

On X, Schumer wrote, “Donald Trump says he’s hoping China will help us clear the Strait of Hormuz. Are you kidding me?” He added that Trump had “created a mess” in the Middle East and appeared to have no clear plan to end it.

Trump Presses Allies To Join Mission

Schumer’s criticism followed Trump’s latest appeal for outside help. In an interview with the Financial Times on Sunday, Trump said countries that benefit from the strait should help keep it open, adding, “It’s only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the Strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there. I think China should help too.” Reuters, citing the FT interview, reported that Trump also warned NATO faced a “very bad” future if allies refused to assist.

Trump also said Monday he had asked to delay his planned March 31 to April 2 visit to China by “a month or so” so he could stay in Washington as the Iran operation continued. Reuters reported that China confirmed it remains in contact with Washington about the summit.

Former national security adviser John Bolton also faulted Trump’s planning, writing on X that the “proper political preparation” for the war had not been done. In a CNN interview, Bolton said “there’s a real problem here” when asked about Trump’s push for NATO countries to send ships to Hormuz.

Support Wavers As Crisis Deepens

Trump’s broader call for help has drawn little enthusiasm. The Associated Press reported on Monday that no country had formally committed to sending warships, despite U.S. outreach to China, Japan, South Korea, France and Britain. Reuters separately reported that Germany, Spain and Italy had rebuffed Washington’s request, while Japan said it had no current plans for an escort mission.

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