Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

dalton99a

(93,934 posts)
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 02:15 PM Monday

Trump: "We don't need anybody. I'm doing it because I want to find out how they react."

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/03/16/world/iran-war-trump-oil-lebanon

Trump Disparages Allies for Rebuffing His Requests for Military Assistance

President Trump on Monday disparaged U.S. allies that he said had relied too long — and too expensively — on American defense, as several of those countries have declined to meet his call to send warships to escort merchant vessels in and out of the Persian Gulf.

“We don’t need anybody; we’re the strongest nation in the world,” Mr. Trump said. He suggested his request for assistance in reopening the Strait of Hormuz instead amounted to a loyalty test of America’s allies. “I’m almost doing it in some cases not because we need them but because I want to find out how they react,” he said.

Referring to countries that have rebuffed, or reacted coolly, to his appeal for ships, Mr. Trump said he had long believed that “if we ever needed help, they won’t be there for us,” and they were proving his point. He added, “You mean for 40 years we’re protecting you and you don’t want to get involved in something that’s very minor?” noting that Europe, Japan and others depend on oil from the Persian Gulf far more than the United States does.

Even so, Mr. Trump said that “numerous countries have told me that they’re on the way.” But asked to name them, he replied, “I’d rather not say yet, but we’ll be announcing them.”

...


46 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Trump: "We don't need anybody. I'm doing it because I want to find out how they react." (Original Post) dalton99a Monday OP
LOL he can't spin his way out of this leftstreet Monday #1
Other nations are not falling for his gaslighting. wnylib Monday #14
They're also refusing to bail him out of a massive fuck-up of his own doing. GoCubsGo Monday #42
"Well I didn't want you to come to my party anyway!" RockRaven Monday #2
+1 dalton99a Monday #4
Fat fuck's pea-brained loyalty test Blue Owl Monday #3
He sounds foolish BlueWaveNeverEnd Monday #5
He *is* foolish. Among other things Deuxcents Monday #12
Behold the mastermind at work! luvallpeeps Monday #6
WOW! 2naSalit Monday #7
He loves the sound of his own voice and everyone livetohike Monday #8
So now we're doing "haha, made you look!"? Wow, that's mature behavior for a 6-year-old. How old are you again? 0rganism Monday #9
Ok. If other countries send warships, and escort tankers, how does that stop Iran from bombing 💣 all of them? Srkdqltr Monday #10
Wouldn't it have been easier just to send them all over-sized Florsheims? Totally Tunsie Monday #11
Neener, neener MustLoveBeagles Monday #13
"I'd rather not say yet, but we'll be announcing them." - Probably in 2 weeks. You know along with his health care plan Jim__ Monday #15
He's discovering that it's not enough to just have control wnylib Monday #16
He never explained the reason for the war Emile Monday #17
The omly thing that comes out of anyone's mouth Old Crank Monday #18
The blithering idiot who cried wolf. Harker Monday #19
"(Y)ou don't want to get involved in something that's very minor?" Rob H. Monday #20
how can anyone take him seriously! Such a moron! CarolinaNC Monday #21
can't we have ONE DAY Skittles Monday #22
+1 dalton99a Monday #38
The biggest liar in the history of mankind. Kingofalldems Monday #23
I still don't understand why people (allegedly) elected a child bully ecstatic Monday #24
Yes, I am afraid your fellow Americans are really that stupid. And we are all paying the price for their stupidity. Katinfl Monday #27
Yes MustLoveBeagles Monday #32
If we were the strongest, we aren't anymore or soon won't be Buddyzbuddy Monday #25
Passive aggressive bullshit Klarkashton Monday #26
"Allies"? ... he thinks we have "allies" ? ... FakeNoose Monday #28
"I'd rather not say yet, but we'll be announcing them."? LilElf70 Monday #29
Hey, Full Diaper! Why isn't the Strait open if "we don't need anybody?" City Lights Monday #30
A test for our allies? What 'allies' do we have left, after he took a wrecking ball to our alliances? nt SeattleVet Monday #31
25th NOW! D_Master81 Monday #33
We're being a little hard on the idiot. BurnDoubt Monday #34
Help is on the way malaise Monday #35
+1 dalton99a Monday #37
Evil. spanone Monday #36
Trump is so empty and needy. He is like some teenager telling a boyfriend or girlfriend that you can't Botany Monday #39
Leadership OC375 Monday #40
Weelll...if I were a good, decent country... ananda Monday #41
Absolutely insane! PatSeg Monday #43
Keep telling your Orange self that - Lokee11 Monday #44
He can't process in his pea sized brain JBTaurus83 23 hrs ago #45
All he does Rebl2 22 hrs ago #46

GoCubsGo

(34,883 posts)
42. They're also refusing to bail him out of a massive fuck-up of his own doing.
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 07:14 PM
Monday

Which is what this is really about. He, being a goddamn moron, created a huge mess, and he wants everyone else to clean it up for him. Nobody's willing to do so, and now he's pouting about it, like the insolent manbaby that he is.

luvallpeeps

(1,285 posts)
6. Behold the mastermind at work!
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 02:21 PM
Monday

It’s merely a loyalty test. He’s got this ya’ll. Relax.🫣

livetohike

(24,236 posts)
8. He loves the sound of his own voice and everyone
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 02:23 PM
Monday

just lets him ramble on and on and on. He’s tying himself in knots over this war.

0rganism

(25,604 posts)
9. So now we're doing "haha, made you look!"? Wow, that's mature behavior for a 6-year-old. How old are you again?
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 02:24 PM
Monday

Pretty weak sauce, really. Most people outgrow it before puberty.

Srkdqltr

(9,691 posts)
10. Ok. If other countries send warships, and escort tankers, how does that stop Iran from bombing 💣 all of them?
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 02:24 PM
Monday

Which will leave a mess that blocks the whole waterway?

How is this good for anyone. It isn't good. It's all stupid.

Jim__

(15,202 posts)
15. "I'd rather not say yet, but we'll be announcing them." - Probably in 2 weeks. You know along with his health care plan
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 02:50 PM
Monday

wnylib

(25,811 posts)
16. He's discovering that it's not enough to just have control
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 02:55 PM
Monday

of the world's most powerful military and weapons. You also have to have the brains to know how to use them and when and where to deploy them. Also how to to cultivate allies.

Emile

(42,075 posts)
17. He never explained the reason for the war
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 03:06 PM
Monday

and now expects everyone to back it. The guy is a fucking idiot!

Rob H.

(5,833 posts)
20. "(Y)ou don't want to get involved in something that's very minor?"
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 04:17 PM
Monday

What kind of bubble have they surrounded him in that he thinks what's going on is "minor"?

ecstatic

(35,058 posts)
24. I still don't understand why people (allegedly) elected a child bully
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 04:23 PM
Monday

This article reads like something from The Onion. It's sooooo bad that I have to revisit the election.

Did we really elect this guy?

Are my fellow Americans really this stupid?

Katinfl

(781 posts)
27. Yes, I am afraid your fellow Americans are really that stupid. And we are all paying the price for their stupidity.
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 04:39 PM
Monday

FakeNoose

(41,347 posts)
28. "Allies"? ... he thinks we have "allies" ? ...
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 04:40 PM
Monday

Chump doesn't know HOW to be an Ally ... and he has burned every one we've ever had since World War II.

LilElf70

(1,547 posts)
29. "I'd rather not say yet, but we'll be announcing them."?
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 04:40 PM
Monday

I can see it now. A picture of the wicked witch of the west, with the caption "All in good time my pretty..... All in good time".

Yet another diversion. It's sickening.

City Lights

(25,750 posts)
30. Hey, Full Diaper! Why isn't the Strait open if "we don't need anybody?"
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 04:46 PM
Monday

What's taking so long, boy?

SeattleVet

(5,893 posts)
31. A test for our allies? What 'allies' do we have left, after he took a wrecking ball to our alliances? nt
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 04:58 PM
Monday

D_Master81

(2,521 posts)
33. 25th NOW!
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 05:05 PM
Monday

Holy shit this man is embarrassing this country on a daily basis now. Yeah sure, so this was all some kind of test to see how loyal our allies are? If you don’t need them then prove it. Get the strait open and hold it. No one believes you. Your bluster is as real as that ridiculous spray tan you put on yourself every day.

BurnDoubt

(1,659 posts)
34. We're being a little hard on the idiot.
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 05:16 PM
Monday

As Sociopathic Psychopath, he doesn’t have the mental capacity to see beyond his own eyelashes. He will NEVER understand why people he routinely disparages and abuses don’t trust him, or feel compelled to put themselves in danger help a nation that is following his deranged leadership.
He REALLY only understands transactionalism, and even then not very well, beyond “what’s in it for me?”

It ALWAYS ends badly.
Our job going forward is to see they are held accountable.
The Fourth Reich may not last a Thousand years, but the damage to Freedom will.

Botany

(77,179 posts)
39. Trump is so empty and needy. He is like some teenager telling a boyfriend or girlfriend that you can't
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 06:19 PM
Monday

break up with me because I’m breaking up with you first. Trump was begging for help but he got
responses such as the one from the Defense Minister of Germany; "This is not our war, we have not
started it." And then Trump talks shit that he really didn’t want Germany’s help it really was a test.

OC375

(841 posts)
40. Leadership
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 06:59 PM
Monday

It's the final act before he says "You are making me break the china because you wouldn't help me clean up my mess." Remember, everything is a lawsuit to him, even war, so this is just posturing to say he offered everyone a chance before he opens up and does whatever it is he's intended to do since the onset.

I think he wants a "No" on meaningful coordinated assistance, because then it's just "him", he's the "victim" and justified in a quorum of one of one at that point. Do you really believe he wants other commander-in-chiefs messing things up? Stealing his thunder or his oil? I don't even think he's even really coordinating with Israel in more than the general country to direct fire at.

Trump doesn't share. He leads or he cries and sues.

ananda

(35,024 posts)
41. Weelll...if I were a good, decent country...
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 07:14 PM
Monday

the last country I'd look to for assistance
would be the USA right now...

our military is so incompetent and compromised,
it's practically worthless.

PatSeg

(53,179 posts)
43. Absolutely insane!
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 07:18 PM
Monday
Mr. Trump said that “numerous countries have told me that they’re on the way.”


Dear god Donald, they didn't tell you that. You can't just say something and magically make it true.

Lokee11

(405 posts)
44. Keep telling your Orange self that -
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 08:28 PM
Monday



I cannot not tolerate that Orange Fucking Idiot much longer - please cholesterol do your dam job already!!!!!!

Rebl2

(17,657 posts)
46. All he does
Tue Mar 17, 2026, 11:02 AM
22 hrs ago

is lie. He even lied about who is president yesterday, saying Gavin Newsom is the prez. Then he went on and said he has been talking to, apparently, imaginary presidents.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Trump: "We don't need any...