Trump proposal on China role in Hormuz draws Senate backlash

2026-03-16 - 22:52

US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized President Donald Trump after the US president proposed that China could assist in securing the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime route for global oil shipments, during the ongoing US-Israel military campaign against Iran in the Middle East. Schumer criticizes Trump’s proposal Schumer responded to the remarks on social media, questioning the logic behind involving Beijing in protecting the vital waterway. “Donald Trump says he’s hoping China will help us clear the Strait of Hormuz. Are you kidding me?” he wrote on X, accusing the administration of worsening instability in the Middle East. He added that the president had “created a mess” in the region and warned that there appeared to be no clear plan to resolve the crisis. Trump calls for broader international role Trump defended the idea by arguing that countries benefiting from the shipping lane should help ensure its safety. Speaking to the Financial Times, the US president said: “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.” Trump also announced that he asked to postpone a planned visit to China to meet President Xi Jinping. The trip, initially scheduled for March 31 to April 2, was requested to be delayed “by a month or so,” as the US leader said he wants to remain in Washington while the military operation against Iran continues. Rising tensions in the Middle East Regional tensions have escalated since Feb. 28, when the United States and Israel launched a large-scale military strike against Iran that reportedly killed more than 1,300 people, including then-Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Tehran later responded with drone and missile attacks targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and several Gulf states hosting US military assets. Amid the confrontation, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz in early March, sending shockwaves through global energy markets. The narrow passage between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman handles roughly 20 million barrels of oil each day, about one fifth of global supply, making its security critical for international trade and energy stability.