President Donald Trump is finding himself in a difficult situation. A month ago, he said that the Strait of Hormuz was not his problem and that U.S. allies would need to solve it themselves. However, with oil prices reaching a four-year high and his approval rating hitting record lows, Trump has changed his mind. He’s now calling on other countries to help end the Strait of Hormuz crisis caused by his war with Iran. The Trump administration is asking allies to join an international coalition called the “Maritime Freedom Construct” to help reopen the vital shipping route and end the global oil crisis. This is very different from his earlier position, where he told U.S. allies who are facing an oil shortage because of the Iran war that they should “just TAKE IT” themselves, reports The Daily Beast. The allies he is now asking for help are the same ones he has often attacked and threatened for refusing to join his war. Trump’s administration is now asking again for help to allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, as part of its Maritime Freedom Construct plans. Trump’s blockade strategy faces serious questions about its effectiveness The MFC will be a joint effort between the State Department and U.S. Central Command. The State Department will handle diplomatic work, while CENTCOM will provide “real-time maritime domain awareness” for commercial shipping and share information with partner militaries. While the Maritime Freedom Construct isn’t strictly a military coalition, officials are asking potential partners whether they would like to be a “diplomatic and/or military partner.” This move shows that Trump’s war with Iran is not going as planned. The war has mostly stalled, with talks between Washington and Tehran making little progress. Iran has offered a deal that would allow the Strait of Hormuz to reopen if the U.S. ends its naval blockade of Iranian ports and delays talks over the country’s nuclear program. Earlier, allies were criticized as cowards for not joining the conflict. Trump just unveiled the framework that turns the U.S. blockade into a global coalition…The administration is reportedly asking allies to join a new "Maritime Freedom Construct" jointly run by the State Department and CENTCOM.Members would share intelligence, coordinate… https://t.co/RDjbtgkWuD pic.twitter.com/hZqzyrTS55— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) April 30, 2026 Trump’s administration says it is not interested in ending the war or reopening the Strait without promises that Iran will not try to get a nuclear weapon. The president has also warned officials he is ready to keep the naval blockade in place for an “extended” period as part of his pressure campaign against Iran. The president believes keeping the blockade will be more effective than making the conflict worse or simply walking away while the Strait remains closed. However, this plan faces two important questions. The first is how long Trump, his fellow Republicans, and the American people can handle the rising costs of the war, including gas prices above $4 and a likely rise in inflation. Midterm election voters are already angry at the high costs and Trump’s economy. The second question is whether the plan is based on realistic intelligence about conditions in Iran and sound reasoning on how its leaders might react. There is growing evidence that Iran’s economy is in serious trouble. The war’s costs include a million unemployed people, rising food prices, and an internet shutdown that has hurt the online economy. Inflation is widespread, and basic items like red meat are too expensive for many people. Middle Eastern media reports warn of growing shortages and threats to food security. Iran’s Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad warned the public on Wednesday to reduce energy use. Government offices have been ordered to cut electricity use by 70% after 1 p.m. CNN‘s White House team reported that U.S. officials are reading intelligence that predicts the Iranian economy can only survive for a few weeks, if not days, according to two sources. Despite previous claims about progress, Trump continues threatening Iranian infrastructure instead of seeking diplomatic solutions. Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, argued that the blockade could cause severe economic pain that could turn into uncontrollable political opposition. However, he added an important point: This could take months. “The first thing to remember is that we’ve never been here before; this is uncharted territory,” Vatanka said. “The blockade is nothing Iran’s ever experienced, not even during the Iran-Iraq war.”